Wyoming Whiskey has launched Buffalo Bill Cody, a Wyoming-exclusive limited-edition bourbon that pays tribute to the legendary frontiersman who helped shape the American West. The 6-year-old straight bourbon whiskey honors the legacy of William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, the fearless showman who became one of the most recognized Americans worldwide through his iconic Wild West performances.
Wyoming Whiskey crafted this special release from grains farmed in Wyoming soil and distilled in Kirby, using a blend of 26 barrels from the distillery’s rickhouses. The bourbon launches in celebration of Wyoming Whiskey’s production anniversary, which began on July 4, 2009.
Buffalo Bill Cody lived an extraordinary life that embodied the spirit of the American frontier. From his early days as a Pony Express rider and Union soldier to earning the Medal of Honor and founding the town of Cody, Wyoming, his adventures became the stuff of legend. His Wild West show brought frontier excitement to audiences across the globe, making him an international celebrity during his lifetime.
The distillery’s annual Wyoming-exclusive releases celebrate the rich history of the Cowboy State, spotlighting the people, places, and stories that shaped Wyoming over the centuries. Buffalo Bill Cody serves as a liquid tribute to the Wild West era.
Red berried like raspberries, blackberries, wafts of alcohol, walnuts, oak, and light tobacco.
Dark chocolate, oak, worked leather, bitter orange citrus with mellow and cloaked earthy tobacco.
Buttery mouthfeel complete with cigar smoke & pipe tobacco, plump champagne grapes, long and balanced finish with bright hints of oak, wheat, and orange.
I had the pleasure of sitting down for a virtual interview with Co-Founder David DeFazio and Master Blender Brendan Cook. First, it was a sincere pleasure to have the opportunity to discuss this release with the visionaries behind it.
Mr. DeFazio provided a complex background for the reason behind Buffalo Bill Cody (admitting he individually purchased several bottles for his personal collection).
Wyoming Whiskey takes its home seriously, and its yearly Wyoming-only release is evidence of its commitment to the state. Only 800 cases of Buffalo Bill were created, and the concept behind the whiskey was over a year in the making. The brand tries to honor a different region of their state each year, and this year they chose the gateway to Yellowstone, Cody, Wyoming. Named for the distinguished and iconic Buffalo Bill Cody. The bottle itself carries imagery from the Buffalo Bill Museum of the West in Cody, Wyoming. Mr. DeFazio wanted to ensure the museum, their staff, and curators were recognized for their hard work in helping Wyoming Whiskey with this release.
Mr. Cook, Master Blender with Wyoming Whiskey, added some color to the barrels and the complex process of matching the lofty goal of a whiskey to honor the icon, Bill Cody. He admits the climate of Wyoming is special and causes unique interactions with wood. Wyoming Whiskey specializes in wheat whiskey and has grown a strong reputation for its iconic profile of spice, leather, and orange fruit. So choosing barrels from their rickhouses was not a short task. His vision was to find whiskey that spoke confidently without losing what makes Wyoming Whiskey special. To bring people some of the best that Wyoming Whiskey has to showcase.
Mr. Cook and Mr. DeFazio spoke at length about the unique approach of Wyoming Whiskey. How they are experimenting with painting their rickhouses black (something often seen in Kentucky, but it’s more often a result of a fungus) because they want to pull in extra warmth in the Spring and late Fall. For special barrels that reach 7-years of aging, the distillery is moving the barrels around to add complexity to the aging process.
Something that kept coming up was “deliberate”. The brand is deliberate with their actions, with their approach, and most critically with their product. The distillery sources all its grains from a single grain grower in Wyoming, they are as grain-to-glass as it gets, but they won’t try to market their whiskey that way.
Mr. DeFazio takes his job extremely seriously; he is an active owner and has laid down (in full suit) in the farmers’ fields looking at corn roots, but again, they won’t try and sell you on that image. Mr. Cook has spreadsheets of the barrels, grains, mash combos, and temperatures of the rickhouses he manages to not only create a great whiskey but also know how it happened as it happened.
In the end, it was a real pleasure talking to these two. They are proud of the whiskey they produce, and they should be. They’re carving a name for themselves in a crowded room and garnering space at the table. Buffalo Bill Cody is a true example of what you can accomplish when you’re deliberate. The whiskey is what you want from a wheat bourbon. It’s got pop, spice, sweetness, balance, and just enough “wild west” to make you savor the moment. If you find yourself in Wyoming, especially in Cody, Jackson, or Kirby, you should grab a bottle of this.
