{"id":26567,"date":"2020-01-14T17:14:58","date_gmt":"2020-01-14T22:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/?p=26567"},"modified":"2026-03-07T17:16:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T22:16:04","slug":"drew-mayville-of-buffalo-trace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gentologie.com\/en\/fine-dining\/drew-mayville-of-buffalo-trace\/","title":{"rendered":"Drew Mayville of Buffalo Trace: The Quest for the Perfect Bourbon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While the holiday season is always more festive and often colder, the meeting of Drew Mayville, master distiller of Buffalo Trace, Kentucky\u2019s delicious bourbon that recently won the 2019 gold medal with 91 points at Beverage Testing Institute and the 2019 silver medal at the New York World Spirits Competition, for Maison Sazerac, was timely. Here is a brief summary of my meeting with Mr. Mayville. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Meeting with Drew Mayville of Buffalo Trace<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Drew
Drew Mayville, the Master Distiller of Buffalo Trace Distillery
Photo: Buffalo Trace Distillery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

On a Thursday morning in October, my appointment with Mr. Mayville, who holds a Bachelor\u2019s degree in Science from the University of Waterloo in Ontario and has a track record of more than 40 years in the field of spirits, including stays with Seagram\u2019s and other major players in the industry, were held at the Marriott Chateau Champlain. Mr. Mayville knows Montr\u00e9al very well, since he lived in the West Island at the time of Seagram\u2019s. And the new Sazerac distillery in Old Montr\u00e9al, not yet open to the public, is a tribute to the Seagram\u2019s legacy.. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the past 15 years, Mr. Mayville has been in charge of quality control for all Sazerac products, including the jewel, the Buffalo Trace bourbon, and some other products I\u2019ve had the chance to taste <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blanton’s: A Racing Bourbon<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Blantons
Photo: Buffalo Trace Distillery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We start with Blanton\u2019s, while I ask him the process of making different bourbons, Mr. Mayville get out of his bag, a barrel with different little things inside, because for their different recipes, they use new barrels of oak, unlike Canadian whiskeys and others, and this for all the bourbon-based recipes, and it is mandatory by law, bourbons must be made by at least 51% with corn. That\u2019s where it\u2019s from this fruity and sweet side that is found in bourbon, then comes rye, which gives the spicy and peppery side and the last ingredient is barley malt, for the fermentation. \u201cThe majority of the taste comes from corn and rye, but also from the barrel, because it is not only a barrel, it is a flavor for the distillate, and 95% of bourbons will be made this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rye or wheat?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the other 5%, rye is replaced by wheat. The most popular wheated-bourbon is The Pappy Van Winkle [Also owned by Sazerac].\u201cAnother essential ingredient for bourbon is water,\u201d told me Mr. Mayville with his water bottle, another important thing, is the yeast, and finally he takes out a watch from his barrel and tells me that the most important thing is time, nothing can replace the time to age a bourbon. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Blanton\u2019s, it\u2019s a bourbon made principally from rye to compare with Buffalo Trace, here we\u2019re looking for the spicy side of rye, the sweet and fruity side of corn, and the aging of the product. \u2018When you smell the product, it tickles the nose with its spicy side, with vanilla, very soft. And to taste, it\u2019s corn and its fruity sweet that comes first and then the pepperiness side of rye and a final, dry with the taste of oak, we see very well the balance of the product. Also, people collect corks, since you can form the word Blanton\u2019s and see a horse race, from beginning to end.\u2019 <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to taste it?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I asked Mr. Mayville, since we are in a tasting, what\u2019s the best way to taste these different products, and him to answer: \u2018The way you will have the most pleasure to taste them is very personal. But to really appreciate the product, I advise them to taste it naturally.\u2019 <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n