Whisky: E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch Bottled in Bond
Producer: Sazerac Co.
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Whisky Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA.
Age: NAS (At least four years)
ABV: 50%
Cask: New charred American oak
Price Range: $$$

E.H. Taylor Jr. is a brand of Kentucky Straight Bourbon made by a Buffalo Trace distillery. The bourbon is part of an exclusive collection named after the founding father of the modern bourbon industry, Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor. As a banker, distiller, and politician, Edmund helped the entire industry to become what it is today. Here are some of his accomplishments from the Buffalo Trace website:

“Taylor is celebrated for the countless innovations he contributed to the bourbon industry in his time. His first involvement in the industry came as a banker, aiding in the organization and financing of several distilleries. Through his experience as a banker, Taylor became personally acquainted with several prominent whiskey makers. Taylor’s 1869 purchase of a small Leestown distillery that he christened O.F.C. was his first foray into distilling, making an immediate mark on the industry by modernizing, expanding, and upgrading the plant. Among his innovations were copper fermentation tanks, state-of-the-art grain equipment, column stills, modernized buildings, a more efficient sour mash technique, and a first-of-its-kind steam heating system still used in the barrel warehouses today.”

“A skilled politician, Taylor was instrumental in fighting for higher standards in the bourbon industry, pushing for the passage of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. As if his involvement in the bourbon industry wasn’t enough, Taylor served as mayor of Frankfort for sixteen years.”

“The O.F.C. Distillery was purchased by George T. Stagg in 1879 and remains an integral part of Buffalo Trace’s history. Taylor is remembered as the last of a breed, a true bourbon aristocrat who was responsible for linking the classic and modern eras of bourbon making.”

Buffalo Trace Distillery began to release the E.H. Taylor series in 2011. E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch is part of a highly desirable collection that is not easy to find in retail stores. Unfortunately, the mash bill is undisclosed.

The E.H. Taylor Jr. Collection 

• E.H. Taylor Jr. Single Barrel Bottled in Bond.
• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof. Bottled directly from the barrel. Uncut and unfiltered at more than 125 proof.
• E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch. See notes below.
• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Straight Rye Bottled in Bond.
• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Sour Mash. The bourbon is made with the same old-school sour mash technique from the 1800s.
• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Warehouse C Tornado Surviving. According to Buffalo Trace, this edition picks up unique flavors from barrels exposed to the elements derived from a tornado that hit warehouse C in 2006.
• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Cure Oak. This bourbon is made from staves cured for 13 months. Curing the barrel is the process of allowing the barrel to sit full of water for some time. This process removes any excess or loose charring inside the barrel.
• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Seasoned Oak. This bourbon is made from staves air-dried outdoors for a deeper flavor due to barrel influence.
•  E.H. Taylor Jr, Four Grains. This bourbon is made from corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley for caramel, vanilla, clove, and pepper flavors.
• E.H. Taylor Jr. Amaranth Grain. This bourbon contains Amaranth grain that imparts sweet and nutty flavors.
• E.H. Taylor 18 Year Marriage. combines barrels from three signature mash bills that matured for eighteen years. Two different rye bourbon mash bills and one wheat bourbon mash bill.
•  E.H Taylor Jr. Warehouse C. Made from 10-year-old Bottled in Bond bourbons barrels aged in Warehouse C.

Tasting Notes for E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon

Nose: Aromas of raisins, caramel, black pepper, and oranges.

Palate: Caramel and vanilla arrival with black pepper and tobacco. An easy to drink bourbon with a medium texture, and very approachable and balanced.

Finish: Medium. Brown sugar, caramel, and oak.

Conclusion: E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch is a Kentucky Straight bourbon for those who enjoy the classic bourbon style in a balanced experience. The price now is above $100 and is difficult to find in retail stores due to its pedigree and popularity. Give this one a try if you can find it. Cheers!

Don’t miss the collection of pictures of this whiskey on my Instagram account.

Score: 4/5 ⭐

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Legend
$50 or less $
$51-$100 $$
$101-$150 $$$
$151 or more $$$$