Colonel E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof (63.75%, Batch 5, 2016)

Colonel E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof is the uncut and unfiltered offering in the E.H. Taylor line from Buffalo Trace Distillery which has it as the only Taylor that is not bottled in bond at 100 proof. It's a limited edition that in the last few years seems to be released annually in the summer. As with any limited bourbon these days, these were a lot easier for me to obtain five years ago but now I think these barely hit the shelves here in Nashville so I was only able to acquire this through luck by seeing it behind the counter in a random store. I've previously reviewed a couple of earlier iterations of this bottle, batch 2 from 2013 and batch 3 from 2014. My main takeaway after the 2014 review was that while I really liked it, I felt the quality of Stagg Jr had finally normalized to the point where it was a better/cheaper/easier to find product than this and that's my presumption going into this review. 

No Age Statement; 63.75% ABV; $80

Nose: The ethanol is very forward - more scorching than I expected for the proof. It's hard to pull out anything under the alcohol but there is some woody furniture polish and a little rye spice bite. I get kind of a peachy stone fruit note in the Taylor Small Batch and am getting remnants of that here as well.

Taste: A lot more approachable than the nose. There are your typical bourbon wood sugar notes of caramel and vanilla but the sweetness is very lush. There is a good amount of charred oak in the middle and a slight rye spice twinge in the finish. It's as rich and bold as you'd expect for the proof but the heat is well tamed and it's very drinkable. 

Thoughts: I'm gonna flip flop a little here and say this is as good as or better than most of the Stagg Jr batches I've had. It's missing that prominent cherry note that Staff Jr brings to the table and it's not quite the oak laden proof bomb that is Elijah Craig Barrel Proof but this is really solid. It's less unique than either of those and more just a heavy proofed version of a straight up, classic bourbon. The semi obtainable, high proof bourbon market has gotten a bit more crowded these days and the winner there is still Elijah Craig both in quality and price but if you can find a bottle of this, it's a solid buy.

Rating: B+ / B

Note that price is not considered when assigning a rating. 

Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Review

Over the last few years the Colonel E.H. Taylor line has become something of a dumping ground for one-offs that probably should have fallen under Buffalo Trace's experimental collection series. Cynics like me would say that's because Buffalo Trace can make more money by slapping a fancy label on them and including a sweet tube. Regardless, intermingled with all the one-offs there have been some expressions that keep returning every year, one of which is the small batch. According to the original Buffalo Trace press release from 2012, the small batch is aged 7 years on the sixth floor of their brick warehouses and subject to limited availability. That last part is funny because it used to be plentiful here but these days spotting any Colonel Taylor product on the shelves in Nashville is rare.

No Age Statement; 50% ABV; $45

Nose: Sweet and fruity with heavy vanilla and lots of peaches. The ethanol and light spice give it a slight menthol tingle as well. 

Taste: Like the nose it is very sweet with peaches and vanilla dominating. There's a little bit of wood depth here that gives it some older notes like tobacco and leather. In the finish a little cinnamon spice comes through but it's faint. This is like eating peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream from a wooden spoon. 

Thoughts: This is a good bourbon. It's a nice sweet spot in age so you get a good balance of oak notes while still retaining some fruity youth. My main criticism here would be cost as it seems you're mostly paying for is the name and packaging. Taste-wise I'd recommend Four Roses Single Barrel, Henry McKenna, or Eagle Rare over this which is good news because all those products are cheaper and much easier to find.

Rating: B- / B

Note that price is not considered when assigning a rating. 

Colonel E.H. Taylor Seasoned Wood Review

Here today we have another one-off from Buffalo Trace bottled under the Colonel Taylor product line. You can read the original press release if you are into that sort of thing but the TLDR; is a no age statement, bottled in bond, wheated bourbon that is supposedly aged over a decade. The "Seasoned Wood" name comes from an enzyme bath given to the wood staves or some other silly shit along those lines - I dunno, whatever. I fully expect this to taste like a mashup of Old Rip Van Winkle and Weller 12 accompanied by a sweet tube (dude), fancy label, and higher price. 

No Age Statement; 50% ABV; $70

Nose: Classic wheated bourbon profile of vanilla and caramel cake batter along with some fruitiness like sugar coated peaches. There is a healthy dose of oak as well which indicates some decent age.

Taste: Soft and sweet upfront just like a good wheated bourbon. It's got mostly the same creamy sweet notes as the nose along with a pronounced cinnamon zip that is usually present in this product's younger cousin, Old Weller Antique. There's lot of wood depth here which has me guessing this is about 10-12 years old. That depth gives it some nice slightly bitter dark chocolate notes in the finish that round out all the sweets and cinnamon spice.

Thoughts: This tastes just like what I expected - a blend of middle aged Buffalo Trace wheated bourbons which is fine by me because I enjoy those products. Apart from the Barrel Proof, this is my probably my favorite Colonel Taylor product yet. I'm okay with having paid retail for this once but certainly wouldn't pay/trade whatever silly rate this is probably fetching on the secondary markets.

Rating: B+ / B

Note that price is not considered when assigning a rating.

Colonel E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof (Batch 3, 2014) Review

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of lot of rhyme or reason behind the Colonel E.H. Taylor line. At times the series seems to be a Buffalo Trace dumping ground for experiments/one-offs like the Sour Mash, Warehouse C Tornado Surviving, and Cured Oak releases. In a way, it is almost like Diageo’s Orphan Barrel line. The Rye is an oddity as well in that it has a mashbill of just rye and barley (no corn) making it unlike any other Buffalo Trace rye whiskey. The only real consistency in the line seems to be that the somewhat regularly released bourbons (Small Batch, Single Barrel, and Barrel Proof) come from Warehouse C and were distilled from Buffalo Trace’s low rye mashbill #1.

Up to this point, all of the E.H. Taylor line have been Bottled in Bond except one: Colonel E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof. The Barrel Proof product is an uncut and unfiltered bruiser that is aged around seven years in Warehouse C. This makes it something akin to George T. Stagg but at about half the age. I mention that comparison because the first couple of releases of the official Stagg Jr. product were so dreadful many people felt the Taylor Barrel Proof was more deserving of the Stagg Jr name.

Given my previous glowing review of the second batch of Taylor Barrel Proof, this third release has some big shoes to fill. Also since the Fall of 2013 when batch two was released, Stagg Jr. batch quality has improved tremendously. Is Colonel Taylor Barrel Proof still the closest resemblance to its uncle Stagg or has Stagg Jr. finally stepped up to take its proper place? Let’s find out.

No Age Statement; 64.5% ABV; $80; Released Fall 2014

Nose: Needs a good bit of time airing out to get over the ethanol. Typical notes of sweet and wood but also has some dark ripe fruits like prunes and plums. Great, classic low rye bourbon nose.

Taste: Everything you would expect from a middle aged barrel proof pour. Sweet, woody, and warm. Burnt caramel wood sugar is the dominant note with just a little rye spice bite on the finish. The woodiness is strong but it’s not an old funky wood taste which I like. It’s young enough that there are still some faint new make corn notes at play to make it interesting. It drinks pretty warm as it should given the 129 proof but I think it’s a touch more tame than the 2013 release which was around 135 proof. Very tasty.

Thoughts: This is great stuff. I think it’s a little softer around the edges than the last release but I can’t pick a favorite between the two. The real question though is how does it compare to the last couple of Stagg Jr releases? Well, it’s close but if I had to split hairs I think I’d go with Stagg Jr batch three (132.1) or four (132.2) over the Taylor. The Stagg Jr seems to have just a little bit more age to it (“around a decade” per Buffalo Trace) and it shows with more depth in wood complexity. Even better the Stagg Jr is about $20 cheaper and easier to find. If you have the coin to spare and have access, buy them both. If you can only afford one of them, Stagg Jr is a much better value.

Rating: B+

Colonel E.H. Taylor Cured Oak Review

I don’t normally like to review a whiskey these days until I am almost through with the bottle but I am going to make an exception today because of the madness currently surrounding this particular release. There might be a follow-up later on when I finish the bottle if my opinion changes.

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Information on new Colonel E.H. Taylor bourbons first popped back in June of 2014 when Sku’s Recent Eats sleuthed out the TTB labels. Buzz at the time around the releases seemed very positive. Cured Oak seemed interesting because of the unique stave drying process. Seasoned Wood seemed interesting because of the wheated aspect which is all the rage right now. Things went dark for quite a while after that until a couple of weeks ago Bourbonr broke news from Buffalo Trace that Cured Oak was a 17 year old bourbon that would be in stores by the end of March. The suddenness of that announcement, old-ish age of the product, and release during a time of year when nothing else special is hitting the shelves started the beginning of things taking a turn for stupid. To make matters worse, within a week reports started coming in that allocation was very low - rumors like big box retail stores such as Liquor Barn only getting a single case and entire markets only getting 15 cases. Then a recent AMA with a Buffalo Trace employee indicated there were only ~4200 total bottles released which is pretty paltry even by special release standards.

So, limited allocation is one problem but if the whiskey isn’t amazing, demand shouldn’t be crazy right? When it comes to the Colonel Taylor line, the answer is no. Along with the regular releases available throughout the year, there have been two other special one-time Colonel Taylor releases: Sour Mash and Warehouse C Tornado Surviving. A popular thing amongst collectors is acquiring the entire set and the various sweet tubes that come with them. Despite a range of reviews that have the previous two limited releases as possibly just good but not great whiskeys, those two releases demand a crazy premium on the secondary market.

All of this leads to a perfect storm where we have this new Cured Oak release which has been available all of two weeks with barely any reviews already selling for $450 on the secondary market. This is the quentisential representation of the complete asshatery of the bourbon craze right now.

50% ABV; No age statement but claimed to be 17 years old; $80

Notes: The nose is rich with mostly wood and tree sugar sweet notes. The oak notes have a slight funk to them which is expected given the age. On the sip those oak notes are much more prevalent and more of the funkiness comes out in them too. What’s nice about the mid palate though is there is good bit of fruit flavors like pears that I normally get in the much younger Colonel Taylor Small Batch that don’t usually come out in older bourbons. The palate is a good balance of fruit, sweet, and oak with a decent mouthfeel but overall I find the whole taste a little dull/muted. The finish really brings the wood notes back into the forefront with old, dry, musty oak and some other savory flavors like leather/tobacco.

Thoughts: If you like older whiskeys you are going to like this a lot more than me. While I find musty old funk notes interesting they are not my favorite. The old oak notes in this aren’t as overbearing as I expected and there are some interesting things going on with fruit and tannic complexity but I feel like this is rather forgettable for me. I certainly think it’s better than Eagle Rare 17 but again I rather disliked that whiskey by the time I finished a bottle of it. I see this as a mash up of the best parts of Eagle Rare 17 and Colonel Taylor Small Batch but definitely not worth the current secondary market valuation on it.

Rating: B- / B

Colonel E.H. Taylor Single Barrel Review

After a bit of a break from whiskey in the month of January I'm back and working through some bottles that have been in the cabinet a little too long. Up today is a whiskey from a line of products that I am pretty fond of and that has a pretty good reputation in the bourbon community. In my whiskey group's blind single barrel tasting a few months ago not only was it my personal pick but it was also was the group's number one pick as well. Another thing it has going for it is that it isn't impossible to acquire. In a day and age where reviews seem too focused on rare/limited whiskeys it's refreshing to come back to something that most of us can actually find on the shelf.

50% ABV; No Age Statement; $70

The nose is a good balance of oak and sweet with only a slight touch of ethanol / furniture polish. The palate offers a lot more of the same. The wood influence initially gives it a dry oak taste but the traditional bourbon sweetness comes in and balances it all out nicely. I tend to get a lot of peachy/pear fruit notes in EHT Small Batch and while they are definitely present here they are also toned down a bit. The sometimes slightly harsh char notes I get from the Small Batch aren't nearly as noticeable here either. The finish dances around a deep rich fudgy sweetness that is reminiscent of its older uncle Stagg from the same mashbill. If given a few more years in the wood and some more proof you could definitely catch the family resemblance but as is it's a far stretch from that level of depth.

Thoughts: It's a pretty solid, classic bourbon but it isn't going to blow you away. Other than the price I can't really think of anything negative to say about it. It is a little expensive for what it is and I don't think I love it quite as much as the EHT Rye which is around the same price point. It's certainly a step up from the Small Batch though and if you pressed me I would say it's worth the extra $25. What I really see this as is a great gift bourbon - it tastes good, it's reasonably available, it's above average in price, and it even comes with a fancy tube.

Rating: B

Colonel E.H. Taylor Rye Review

The E.H. Taylor series has some whiskeys that I really love and the rye has been very well received by most reviewers. Colonel E.H. Taylor Rye is said to be from a mashbill that differs from other Buffalo Trace ryes like Sazerac and Thomas Handy. Supposedly there is no corn, just a high rye content and a little malted barley which makes it one of the more interesting ryes out there. The problem though is that the price tag is also very high. Is it worth it? Let's find out.

50.0% ABV; No Age Statement; $75

Nose: Heat is just right. Lots of caramel/syrup wood sugars and honey up front, wintergreen and minty spice in the back. A little brine reminiscent of the pickle juice note some mention from LDI ryes.

Taste: Elegant is the word that comes to mind. Wonderfully balanced and nuanced combinations of spicy and sweet. It's neither overly sweet nor overly spicy but rather a great combination of both flavors at once. Mouthfeel is silky and buttery smooth.

Finish: Medium to long in length. The sweetness from the nose and palate are not immediately evident and initially masked by loads of funky, crisp, dry rye spiciness. The spice really comes on strong here at the end. Once the spice resigns, dark sweet wood sugars come back to leave a resounding sweet and spicy trail all the way to the end.

Notes: This is an incredible rye and really unlike any other pour I've ever had. Right now if I had to enumerate my favorite ryes I would put this near the top but behind Thomas Handy and Boss Hog. While those two get points for brash boldness, the Taylor Rye makes up for that with elegant nuance and balance.

Rating: A-

Buy Recommendation: Even at the high price point, yes. Whistle Pig is another contender in this price range and that one is certainly unique as well but I can't honestly say it is better than the Taylor.

Colonel E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof (135.4) Review

Being a cask strength junkie, 2013 was a great year for me because we saw the introduction of quite a few barrel proofers. My first barrel proof purchase of the year was the Stagg Jr which I thought was wretched. After I read this review from the Smoky Beast though I had high hopes the Colonel Taylor offering could restore my faith in Buffalo Trace's ability to put out a good cask strength offering. 

67.71% ABV; No Age Statement; $80

The nose is very spicy which is odd considering the mashbill which is relatively low spice. There is some sweet like molasses and something floral like roses. It's a pretty hot nose which isn't surprising at 135 proof.
On the taste the spice is building where it left off on the nose. There is a good amount of sweet - more molasses, some caramel, a little honey, and bit of leather. It is drinkable at proof… again like the nose it’s surprising the amount of flavor that can overcome the heat at this strength. It is thick but not heavy and what you would expect from a great uncut bourbon. The spiciness really starts to put the hammer down in the finish. Again pretty hot but what do you expect at this proof. Molasses still lingers but is fighting a hard battle against the heat and spice. 

Thoughts: I love it. All I wanted this year was a bottle of Stagg like from previous years. I do like this year’s Stagg but having come from the lower warehouse floors this year’s release is a lot lower proof which I discern by its reduced flavor. The Taylor doesn't have that handicap though so I'm willing to go out on a limb and say this bottle can stand toe to toe with the 2013 Stagg. It has the grandiosity, spice, and heat that I crave in an intense barrel strength bourbon. It does lose some points in that it’s not as layered or complex as any Stagg I've ever tried though. Compared to other barrel strengths this year - I haven't tried the ECBP yet but I wouldn't take 5 Stagg JRs for one bottle of this.

Rating: A- / B+