Style: Straight rye whiskey
Age: No age statement
Proof: 126 (63% ABV)
Region: Frankfort, Kentucky
Without Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr., whiskey wouldn’t exist as we know it today. His many contributions to this history of bourbon distillation are well documented but include the use of copper fermenting tanks, heated rickhouses, and helping to get the Bottled in Bond Act passed in Congress. Most importantly, though, he purchased and modernized the O.F.C. distillery on the Kentucky River. You may be more familiar with O.F.C. by its current name — Buffalo Trace Distillery.
The E.H. Taylor, Jr. line of whiskeys was created to honor the legacy of the distillery’s founder. From the core Small Batch Bourbon to the elusive E.H. Taylor, Jr. Amaranth, every whiskey in the series has become an object of desire for enthusiasts. The latest addition to this storied group is the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye.
“Bourbon enthusiasts know that there is no experience quite like tasting a whiskey in its truest, untouched form – straight from the barrel,” remarked Buffalo Trace Distillery Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley. “Barrel Proof Rye takes the beloved recipe of Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Rye Whiskey to a new level and brings a new release that perfectly complements the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Collection.”
Let’s find out if this barrel-proof rye is worthy of bearing the name of one of the founding fathers of modern American whiskey.
Tasting notes
Where the standard E.H. Taylor rye has a chocolatey, peppery herbal nose, the new Barrel Proof offers a more fruit-forward bouquet that showcases stone fruit, chocolate-covered cherry, fig, and pepper. On the palate, the chocolate and candied cherry notes are joined by an herbal note that reminds me exactly of Thai basil. Dried apricot, fig, and caramel combine with tea and peppercorn, hitting that classic BTD rye profile. The finish is satisfying and sweet with notes of caramel, honey, herbs, and a light dusting of freshly cracked pepper.
Final thoughts
E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye comes across as more than just a higher-proof version of the line’s base rye — it really is its own whiskey. It reminds me more of a slightly less potent version of the Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, one of my perennial favorites in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. At a suggested retail price of $77.99, I would suggest that any fan of BTD’s rye whiskeys pick this up if they can find it without too much markup.
