Brian’s Elmer T Lee Single Barrel Review:
06-April-2021
ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL BOURBON REVIEW:
Elmer T Lee (ETL SiB) is a nice but simple bourbon. This whiskey will not wow the seasoned drinker, but it is an easy sipper. There are not many aromas to confuse the nose, nor are there many flavors, yet it is enjoyable just the same. It offers a creamy mouth feel, and each sip is fresh, without much wood or barrel haze to weigh it down. And as on the nose and in the mouth, ETL SiB offers a subtle, dry, and medium-long, throat warming finish.
ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL VITAL STATS:
Region: Frankfort, KY, USA
Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Classification: Single Barrel Bourbon
Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2*: (10-15% rye)
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel Entry Proof: 125
Age: nas (varies by bottling, said to be 8-14 years old)
ABV: 45% (90 Proof)
Purchased September 2018
Price Paid: $38 USD
Availability: Allocated, difficult to find
No bottle number identifiers
*Buffalo Trace and other distilleries under the Sazerac banner do not disclose mash bills for any of their offerings. An internet search indicates mash bill #2 is approximately 75-80% Corn, 10-15%; Rye, and about 10% Malted Barley. Other Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2 products include Ancient Age, Blanton’s Single Barrel, Hancock’s President’s Reserve, and Rock Hill Farms.
Learn more at Buffalo Trace Brands.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL NOSE:
Elmer T Lee has a dry, dusty grain nose with a hint of fruit tree blossom potpourri mixed in light sherry. I also detect a trace of red berry and ripe plum jam thinly spread over a piece of dry rye bread. The sweets are sparse as well, with a base of rich vanilla blended into a maple sugar infused simple syrup. What little woodiness I find is of light sweet oak. This is a fresh smelling bourbon, simple and gentle with a pleasant petricor earthiness.
ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL PALATE:
ETL SiB tastes like it smells – simple, gentle and fresh. The traces of fruit tree blossoms and hints of red berries and ripe plums are nearly overpowered by allspice, pepper and rye but together, are nicely balanced in light vanilla and simple syrup. As on the nose, the fresh oak woodiness is faint but there is a nice base of toasted wood and a bit of barrel char to round out each sip. While ETL SiB is far from the complex whiskies for which usually reach, I like its simplicity.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
ETL SiB is well blended and creamy (almost oily) in the mouth. Each sip is easy to chew and even easier to hold. And in the Glencairn, its long legs fall quickly into the Russet colored pool leaving behind an evenly spaced inverted crown.
ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL FINISH:
Elmer T Lee finishes as it began: simple with a dry, medium throat warming. I feel the spices of powdered ginger, pepper and rye and sensations of toasted wood and hazy barrel char. When the last dram is downed, the aroma of a woodworking shop can be drawn from the empty Glencairn.
MY ELMER T LEE SiB RATING: 88/100
Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
While I won’t hunt for Elmer T Lee I will buy another when the opportunity presents.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
Click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
ELMER T LEE SINGLE BARREL TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
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