COLONEL E. H. TAYLOR Barrel Proof

COLONEL E. H. TAYLOR Barrel Proof  is one of the flagship bourbons of Buffalo Trace’s Taylor silo, the iconic E. H. Taylor Barrel Proof Bourbon is a statement of pure quality. Typically aged for around 7-8 years before being released in extremely limited batches, the barrel proof generally weighs in at over 125 proof and possesses a distinctive, potent character. Award-winning and awe-inspiring, the barrel proof is a sublime addition to any connoisseurs collection and one that will only improve with age. The aroma of cooked berries meets the nose, followed by a rich caramel and slightly floral smell. The taste is bold and full of spice that fills the mouth with a distinct flavor of toasty vanilla, dried oak and pepper. The finish is long and satisfying with a powerful rye character and lingering hints of fruit.

Crafted from hand-selected barrels, this bourbon is bottled directly from the barrel; uncut and unfiltered at more than 125 proof. It reflects the way whiskey was produced in the days before Prohibition, when Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. was the owner of Buffalo Trace Distillery. Drawn from barrels aged in warehouses constructed over a century ago under Taylor’s watchful eye, the taste is smooth, yet powerful and uncompromising, just like its namesake.

This fourth entry into Buffalo Trace’s Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr., Bourbon series is notable primarily because it is an uncut and unfiltered Bourbon, weighing in at a whopping 134.5 proof. At seven years old, it’s a youthful bruiser in comparison to its senior brethren in this line up.

As a barrel strength whiskey it is of course very hot, too, but high-proof Bourbon normally has a deeper flavor and body than this. E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof benefits from water, but this does weaken its already modest body considerably. On the other hand, it does bring out more of the Bourbon’s charms: big caramel and butterscotch notes, there for the taking. If only the structure was there to support it.

Tasting Notes