A little background

The E.H. Taylor line of whiskey from Buffalo Trace is named in honor of Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, a pioneer in the bourbon industry who has been hailed as the father of modern bourbon. Most notably, in addition to his numerous innovations to the distillation process, Taylor was responsible for the expansion of the fabled O.F.C. Distillery, which would eventually be purchased by George T. Stagg and play an integral part in the development and success of the modern Buffalo Trace Distillery.

The Taylor line currently consists of eleven different whiskeys (8 bourbons, a rye, a sour mash, and an 18-year marriage), many of which are limited releases (i.e. Warehouse C Tornado Surviving). This is a review of one of the most sought-after annual releases, the E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof Bourbon (Batch 9 – 2020 release). This bourbon is made from Buffalo Trace’s mash bill #1, does not include an age statement, and is bottled uncut and unfiltered. This bottle retails for $80.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Tawny with thick, slow legs in the glass

Nose

There is a surprisingly light amount of ethanol on the nose for a bourbon that comes in at 130.3 proof. Instead, the nose is full of rich, dark caramel, vanilla, dark cherry, and tobacco, all underscored by a soft musty oak note. I found that this release was just a tad sweeter than the past two releases, with an emphasis on the dark cherry and tobacco.

Palate

This is a big, bold bourbon from the first sip! It instantly coats your mouth and the heat from the proof gives a nice kick to the palate without holding back any of the rich flavors this bourbon delivers. A peppery rye spice kicks in mid-palate along with plenty of dark stewed fruit, rich vanilla, and more of that must oak note. Add a few drops of water to bring out a dense layer of fresh caramel flavor that makes you completely forget the proof on this bourbon!

Finish

This whiskey has a long, thick finish. The rye spice really picks up, leaving lots of peppery spice on the tongue. There is also a fair amount of alcohol burn that can be a little bit of a challenge at first. However, through the burn I found more spiced, dark fruit notes, vanilla, a hint of char, and a pleasant burnt caramel note that lingered for some time.

In closing

My expectations for the E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof release, and any Taylor release for that matter, are always high and I am happy to report that this release does not disappoint! This bottle is big and bold and packs a ton of rich, dense flavors that draw you in to each sip. This is a dangerously smooth and flavorful bourbon! Compared to the past two releases, I found more sweet dark fruit and tobacco notes, particularly on the nose, along with that wonderful Taylor rye character and deep oak presence. For this release, the higher proof did challenge my palate at times, but the flavors are big enough to overcome this obstacle and make for an exceptional pour.