Buffalo Trace Prohibition Collection 5x375ml 2023 Release

Five 375ml bottles. Five whiskeys. One of American distilling history's most storied eras. The Buffalo Trace Prohibition Collection 2023 — a limited commemorative set celebrating Buffalo Trace's unbroken operation through Prohibition as one of six federally licensed "medicinal whiskey" distilleries.

When Prohibition took effect in January 1920, it shuttered virtually every American distillery. Buffalo Trace — then operating as the George T. Stagg Distillery — was one of only six distilleries in the entire country licensed to continue production for "medicinal purposes" under the Volstead Act's limited exemption. The whiskey that Buffalo Trace produced during this period was sold by prescription through pharmacies — the legal fiction that allowed the distillery to survive while competitors closed permanently.

The 2023 Prohibition Collection commemorates this history with five unique whiskeys — each inspired by a different facet of the Prohibition era and Buffalo Trace's survival through it. Each 375ml bottle is a distinct expression, and the complete set documents the range of Buffalo Trace's production capabilities while paying tribute to one of American history's most consequential regulatory experiments. The packaging and presentation reference the era's aesthetic — a complete collectible artifact connecting the distillery's present to its most dramatic historical chapter.

Specs

• Distillery: Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky
• Contents: Five 375ml bottles — five distinct era-inspired expressions
• Release: 2023 Prohibition Collection
• Total volume: 1,875ml

Explore the Buffalo Trace collection or browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How did Buffalo Trace survive Prohibition? Buffalo Trace (then the George T. Stagg Distillery) was one of only six American distilleries licensed to continue production under the Volstead Act's medicinal whiskey exemption. Whiskey produced during this period was dispensed by pharmacies under physician prescription — a legal mechanism that allowed limited production to continue while the rest of the American whiskey industry was shuttered.
• What are the five whiskeys in the collection? Each of the five 375ml bottles is a distinct expression inspired by a specific Prohibition-era theme from Buffalo Trace's history. The complete set commemorates different facets of the era through five different whiskey styles.
• Why is the Prohibition Collection historically significant? Very few American distilleries can document an unbroken operational history through Prohibition. Buffalo Trace's medicinal license allowed continuous production from before to after the Volstead Act — creating a provenance chain that most American distilleries cannot claim.
• Is the 2023 Prohibition Collection still available? Yes — a limited commemorative set.