Buffalo Trace Harlen D Wheatley's 'CLIX' Vodka
Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Davis Wheatley spent 10 years of his career working to craft the perfect vodka.
CLIX Vodka was produced from a four grain mashbill including soft red winter wheat, rye, yellow dent corn and malted barley. Once fermented 28,400 gallons of mash were painstakingly distilled 159 separate times through a custom regimen of copper and stainless steel stills. (CLIX is 159 in Roman numerals.) In the end, only 332 gallons of vodka (roughly 2,000 bottles) were made. Once distillation was complete, the vodka was rested for 12 months in stainless steel tanks to ensure an impeccably smooth finish.
With such exacting standards, and this perfect creation Wheatley set out to give it a unique finish. CLIX is bottled in a custom, lead-free crystal decanter designed by Nouvel Studio with its own handcrafted, burl wood case. There are few of these beauties remaining in the world, if you're a collector of fine spirits this smooth, elegant vodka is a must for your back bar.
To appreciate the full history of Buffalo Trace distillery is a daunting task. It is a brand and place that has produced legendary whiskey for generations, and was helmed by some of the biggest icons in American distilling. George T. Stagg bought the O.F.C. distillery from Colonel E. H. Taylor in 1878, and together the two men built the company into a distilling behemoth, taking its business to unseen levels in the industry. In 1904 the distillery was renamed and now donned the moniker of its owner and brightest star. Throughout the 20th century, the distillery saw a number of changes. Prohibition came and went (GTS was one of a few distilleries permitted to produce whiskey "for medicinal purposes" during this troubling time.) The distillery changed hands a couple of times throughout the decades, and finally landed in the hands of the family behind the Sazerac Company in 1992. Along the way they introduced the first single barrel bourbon, named for Albert Blanton who followed in the footsteps of Masters Taylor and Stagg. The company rechristened themselves Buffalo Trace Distillery in 1999 and have been on a tear ever since. With the Sazerac company leading the charge Buffalo Trace is responsible for releasing the most sought after American whiskey year after year.