Sazerac Barrel Select Contributes Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel For Charity Program Benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Sazerac Barrel Select (SBS), Sazerac’s single barrel release program, is thrilled to announce the Elmer T. Lee Charity Sweepstakes, offering bourbon enthusiasts the exclusive opportunity to select a barrel of the limited Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey, with all donations, less required transactions fees, benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Inclusive of the SBS’ signature VIP selection experience – typically reserved only for SBS members – the sweepstakes is open to the public, with each $100 donation serving as one entry to win.  

“Elmer T. Lee is often called the ‘father’ of single barrel bourbon and for good reason – he’s the creator of both Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon and the original Sazerac Barrel Select program,” said Diego Bianchi, Sazerac Barrel Select General Manager. “The last single barrel of Elmer T. Lee was selected 10 years ago, and fans have requested this rare barrel offering since; some even reminisce about selecting barrels alongside Elmer. This is a fantastic opportunity to offer this brand to single barrel enthusiasts, and we are proud to once again support St. Jude.”

The randomly selected winner of the Elmer T. Lee Charity Sweepstakes will receive:

·       A one-night stay in Stagg Lodge and VIP, behind-the-scenes tour and private catered lunch at Buffalo Trace Distillery accommodating the winner and up to 7 guests (age 21 or older);

·       A private barrel selection experience to thieve, taste and select their barrel alongside Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley, who was trained by Elmer himself after joining the Buffalo Trace Distillery team in 1995;

·       $18,000 cash prize, which may be used to purchase the bottles yielded from the selected barrel with personalized medallions

 

"I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with Elmer both at work and away from work, often listening to his many stories about the industry," said Harlen Wheatley, Master Distiller, Buffalo Trace Distillery. "It was a privilege to work with Elmer, and I understood that when I was with him. I'm proud to call Elmer a friend, mentor, and trusted advisor, and I'm honored to continue sharing his legacy through this charity sweepstakes program."

The Elmer T. Lee Charity Sweepstakes benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital begins at 8am EST on September 8, 2025; all entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on September 30, 2025. Entrants will receive one entry into the sweepstakes for every $100 donation made through the registration site. The winner will be randomly drawn and notified via phone and email the week of October 6, 2025. To register and view the full official rules, please visit the Sazerac Barrel Select website. 

SBS is a membership program offering small groups and individuals the opportunity to hand-select barrels from Buffalo Trace Distillery and other Sazerac distilleries. In 2024, SBS partnered with St. Jude for the Blanton’s Gold Charity Sweepstakes and raised more than $1 million. In recent years, SBS has worked with multiple charitable organizations to raise more than $4 million for a number of great causes. Though the Elmer T. Lee Charity Sweepstakes is open to the public, SBS encourages those who are not members to sign up and participate in the quarterly drawings. SBS membership is free and those interested can sign up here.

Widely considered a 20^th-century bourbon pioneer, Elmer T. Lee joined the George T. Stagg Distillery, known today as Buffalo Trace Distillery, in 1949 as a maintenance engineer, quickly rising through the ranks to become Plant Manager and Master Distiller. He led the Distillery into a new era of modernization and, in 1984, introduced Blanton’s—the world’s first single-barrel bourbon. Just two years later, following his retirement, Elmer was honored with his own namesake release: Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey, hand-selected and bottled to meet the exacting standards he established. Perfectly balanced and rich, this single barrel bourbon has a nose that brings notes of clove, vanilla, and old leather. The palate offers balances fruit, honey and vanilla with a light spiciness.

For any questions regarding the Elmer T. Lee Charity Sweepstakes, please contact Buffalo Trace Distillery.