Buchanan’s Two Souls whiskey is everything but what you would expect. It combines whiskey and tequila flavors in ways you couldn’t have imagined. The two souls part is more accurate for Buchanan’s than for any other spirit.
The brand came into the grain business in 1879 and had been going strong. It is a premium whiskey brand producing expressions that have been popularly described as “the closest to perfection you will ever get.”
The Two Souls expression of Buchanan’s assortment is a dual drink encompassing the essence of whiskey and tequila.
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The Buchanan brand spread the business from Scotland to Latin America, where they found out how tequila and whiskey can go together, and what they discovered would forever change the way we view these two spirits.
Even though tequila and whiskey seemingly have nothing in common, aside from them being spirits, they seem to be much more similar than everyone thought.
Buchanan’s Two Souls doesn’t mix liquids, but it mixes essences. So, what they do is make the whiskey and let it age in tequila barrels.
The tequila barrels and not just any tequila barrels, but Don Julio tequila barrels. The Don Julio tequila is known as one of the best tequilas on the market.
Sophisticated yet assertive, it is one of the most popular tequilas, perfectly depicting the sheer meaning of the tequila spirit.
The Don Julio barrels used to age the Buchanan’s Two Souls whiskey are those that give birth to the irresistible Don Julio anejo variety. The tequila has been resting in the barrels for up to three years, leaving a permanent mark on the wood.
The Buchanan’s whiskey then steps in into the barrels, soaking up all the wisdom the tequila left behind, receiving its essence, mixing it with its own.
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Therefore, Buchanan’s Two Souls whiskey couldn’t have been named better, as the whiskey and tequila souls merge, creating a near-perfect experience.
Buchanan’s Two Souls is an absolute must if you are a whiskey enthusiast and a highly recommended lesson if you are a beginner in your whiskey journey.
Even if you are more of a wine or beer person, Buchanan’s Two Souls is a drink you need to try, as it is a truly remarkable experience you definitely won’t regret.
An inexperienced palate would describe it as original and flavorful, while an educated one would say that it is refined and highly complex, continuing to develop an hours-long discussion about a single sip.
In this article, I will describe and explain all about Buchanan’s Two Souls whiskey and give you price availability information.
The Brand
As I mentioned earlier, Buchanan’s is a brand with a long history and a rich tradition. Launched in 1884, it is over a century old and is still holding up excellently. Originating in Scotland, it makes traditional blended Scotch whiskey known and loved for its natural flavors and herbal notes.
Their motto is “Sharing greatness,” and that’s what they have been doing all along. James Buchanan is the founder of the brand. He was a whiskey entrepreneur who redefined the meaning of Scotch whiskey and gave greatness a new meaning.
The bran withstood wars, crises, pandemics, and prohibitions and still managed to keep itself afloat. Since he launched the brand, he managed to spread it quickly and present it to the world, which is an unprecedented success, considering that this went down over 100 years ago.
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He quickly took the brand to Latin America, where the story of merging tequila and whiskey began to develop. Buchanan’s brand has now become an actual merger of the Hispanic and Scottish cultures, as far-fetched as that may sound.
The Buchanan whiskey has been described as 100% Scottish and 100% Hispanic.
An interesting piece of trivia is that Buchanan whiskey was very popular among the drug cartels in the 80s and is also referenced in the Netflix series Narcos.
Moreover, the Spanish word “Buchon” means “a person who enjoys luxurious things and has a luxurious way of life.” The word soon got the plural form “buchones,” which sounds very similar to Buchanan.
Due to this sound similarity, Buchanan became synonymous with luxury and quickly spread outside the cartel subculture and into the everyday lingo.
Types
Buchanan’s has several whiskey expressions, Two Souls, De Luxe 12-year old, Master, the 18-year-old, and the Red Seal.
The Two Souls whiskey expression is an exquisite spirit. It tastes like Scotch with a tequila essence. It is a blended Scotch whiskey aged for two years in Don Julio tequila barrels. Therefore it does indeed have two souls.
Deep, full-bodied, flavorful, and very rich, the Two Souls whiskey tastes predominantly like vanilla and caramel. On the nose, it is very seductive and inviting, smelling like vanilla with slight hints of citrus.
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Mid-palate, it is slightly salty, with expressive citrus notes and a delightful burnt tone.
All along the sip, you can feel the agave freshness the drink picks up from the tequila barrels, creating an overall playfulness and beautiful merger of the cores of the two spirits.
The De Luxe 12-year-old is another exquisite expression of the Buchanan’s assortment. It is an iconic whiskey, famous worldwide, and the proud recipient of many whiskey awards.
Tasting expressively fruity with chocolate and orange notes, this is an undoubtedly rich whiskey. Smooth all over, with an even smoother finish, a sip of this drink is more satisfying than you imagine it to be.
Made with a blend of malts, handpicked by the master blender, the Master expression is a whiskey dedicated to the master blender, Keith Law.
This whiskey isn’t for everyone, though, as it is more on the strong side. However, it is an exquisitely flavorful, smooth spirit and owner of the gold medal at the 2014 World Spirits Competition.
The 18-year-old aged in sherry casks. Yes, you guessed it, it ages for 18 years, so you can imagine how smooth it is. It is velvety and extremely elegant.
Combining notes of citrus, nuts, honey, and oak, it picks up the sherry sweetness, tasting like a combination of whiskey and fruit.
The Red Seal ages for 21 years, and it is smoother than silk. Reserved only for the crème de la crème, this spirit gives you the feel of royalty. Enjoyed by those who want nothing other than the best, this is one of the most exquisite drinks.
Making
The Buchanan’s Two Souls whisky goes through malting, mashing, and fermentation with the grain recipe of the brand. After distillation, the whiskey ages for three years in oak wood casks.
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After the initial aging process, the whiskey matures additionally in Don Julio tequila bottles and is then blended and bottled.
Buchanan Two Souls comes from malted barley and unmalted cereals such as wheat and maize. Because Two Souls Buchanan is a blended whisky, the raw materials contain single malt and single grain whiskies.
Two Souls Buchanan ages for at least three years. According to the strict regulations in Scotland in terms of producing Scotch whiskies, the production and aging processes must be done in Scotland only.
Sizes and Prices
All Buchanan’s whiskey expressions come in one size, i.e., 750 ml. Their prices vary from $40 to $200. The table below is purely indicative, as the prices vary depending on taxes and availability.
Therefore, you may find these spirits for slightly higher prices than those shown in the table below.
| Whisky Name | Volume | Price |
| Buchanan’s Two Souls Blended Scotch | 750ML | $40 |
| Buchanan’s Deluxe Aged 12 Years | 750ML | $39 |
| Buchanan’s Real Seal | 750ML | $182 |
| Buchanan’s Special Reserve Aged 18 Yrs | 750ML | $85 |
| Buchanan’s 15 Years | 750ML | $57 |
| Buchanan’s Master | 750ML | $46 |
Competitors
As good as Buchanan’s Two Souls, and Buchanan’s whiskey in general, is, it is in a fierce company as many premium whiskeys measure up very nicely. Therefore, it has to keep itself on its toes, as there are many sharks swimming around.
As significant as the competition is; still, there are a few brands that stand out as the sharpest ones. And it isn’t because they are the best of the competitors, but because they play in the somewhat same category.
Chivas Regal, 18 Year Old, has a similar velvety sensation like the Two Souls expression and a very similar vibrancy. It doesn’t bring the uniqueness of the Two Souls, but it comes pretty close.
Ballantine’s 30-Year-Old Scotch whisky is considerably more expensive than Two Souls, with a price tag saying $500. It is undoubtedly an extremely refined whiskey and one of the finest on the market.
Dewar’s Double Double Aged whisky is a very lively, playful, aromatic, and flavorful whiskey. Moreover, it is very smooth and incredibly delicious.
Where To Buy
You can buy Buchanan’s Two Souls online as well as in specialized alcohol shops.
Resources:
- https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/buchanan+two+souls+blend+scotch+whisky+scotland
- https://www.frootbat.com/product/4826142/Buchanans-Two-Souls-Blended-Scotch-Whisky-750ml-Bottle/United-States
- https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/buchanan+two+souls+blend+scotch+whisky+scotland
- https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-award-winning-scotch-brand-thats-won-over-the-latino-market-2018-09-14
- https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-award-winning-scotch-brand-thats-won-over-the-latino-market-2018-09-14
