Hannah’s Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Review
Original review was written on November 7, 2019
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Bottled in bond, E.H. Taylor Small Batch was my first meeting with this offshoot of Buffalo Trace. This is one that didn’t strike hard at first, but it grew on me and is now one of my favorites when possible to find. Read the full Colonel EH Taylor Small Batch Review here. 89/100
VITALS:
– Made in: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Buffalo Trace Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Small Batch and Bottled in Bond
– Age: undisclosed but believed to be at least 7 yrs.
– Mash Bill: undisclosed but believed to be Buffalo Trace recipe #1
Corn=75%; Malted Barley=15%; Rye=10%
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 50% (100 proof)
– Price: $39.95 USD in Idaho
Visit buffalotracedistillery.com for more information
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this bourbon here!
Note: These are the last dregs of this particular bottle and as such may not reflect the tasting notes from the opening of the bottle.
SETTING:
I dream of climbing into a sunlit loft of an old, wooden barn to snuggle between hay bales on a hot summer day. The warmth emanating from the dark wood of the vaulted barn ceilings meets the warmth in my chest from the bourbon, and I feel perfectly in balance with myself and the world around me. Deep breaths are fuller than ever.
Photo by Conner Baker on Unsplash
NOSE:
Very little burn on the nose with this one, and you primarily get light, citrusy fruits as well as the yummy maraschino cherry. There is an herbal element as well, but this is also very bright and fresh. Not rosemary necessarily, but generating the same sensory experience as one would get with the savory herb. Personally, if any oak is there, it’s sweet and minimal. Overall, very pleasant.
PALATE:
– Mouth feel: Pretty smooth with a tickle just at the end.
– Balance: Blended – can’t complain
– Visual: Auburn and polished mahogany color; long legs in the Glencairn
– Taste: I remember once thinking that this bourbon was citrusy on the taste as well as one the nose. Whether this dram is different due to being the last of the bottle, I do not know, but such is the case. As I sip this tonight, I get a lot of cherries. They seem to be dried, almost to the point of fruit leather.
A slight bitterness lingers between sips, a little bit like toasted almonds that are just overdone.
The wood comes through on the taste too – a mix of oak and cedar. It definitely leaves me wanting more and excited for the next sip.
What little spice is present, I’d probably call white pepper due to the kick of sweetness that accompanies the rest of the flavor profile.
A Kentucky chew brings maraschino cherries out in an intense way that I couldn’t be more pleased about.
FINISH:
– Lasting power: Long. As stated in the taste, toasted nuts linger the most, but there is a very gentle warmth that sits on the tongue and in the upper chest. Very satisfying.
– No More: Maraschino cherries surround by thick fruit cocktail syrup just continue to give and give the further I get into the glass. This is regardless of the size of sip or duration of Kentucky chew.
The essence of oak is there and really aids in the warming effect you feel sipping this one.
The empty Glencairn smells of sweet oak, as though the cherries have seeped into the barrel. Y-U-M.
WORTH THE PRICE?
When you can find it, grab yourself a bottle!
RATING: 89/100
Click to see Hannah’s rating process
Click 89/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To see other whiskies from this brand, click EH Taylor, Jr.
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