E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon Review & Rating (2024)

E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon Review

The E. H. Taylor, Jr. series is one of Buffalo Trace’s hallmark lineups, and for good reason: The expressions feature a mix of reliability (Small Batch), punchy flavor (Barrel Proof), and novelty (everything from Cured Oak to Amaranth) that can captivate whiskey fans at all levels. But in the hype of limited, annual, or one-of releases in the line, it’s easy to overlook one of the true E. H. Taylor workhorse expressions: The tried and true Single Barrel.

Like E. H. Taylor Small Batch, the Single Barrel version is non-age stated and Bottled-in-Bond; they also share a mash bill, which is speculated to be Buffalo Trace’s lower-rye Mash Bill No. 1. But unlike its sister 100 proof expression, E. H. Taylor Single Barrel features significantly more variance than is found in a batched product. Though one expects the hand-picked barrels to maintain a certain quality standard, there will be enough natural variation from one bottling to the next to showcase noticeable differences. Color, aroma, taste, and finish will always be a bit different from one bottle to the next; that makes comparison the sort of fun exercise real bourbon nerds salivate over.

Today, we’re looking at a 2023 bottling of E. H. Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon. It’s worth reemphasizing that what’s true for one barrel may not hold for the next, so as with any single barrel review, this assessment isn’t quite universal. That said, we’re hoping to give potential sippers a sense of the whiskey’s overall flavor profile and quality!

E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon Stats and Availability

E. H. Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon has a suggested retail price around (or just over) $60. However, as with all expressions in the E. H. Taylor line, it’s fairly sought-after and tends to command a markup at some shops, both brick and mortar and online. I’ve seen pricing range from between $70 to $200 at multiple locations.

Any desire to pay that much above suggested retail will be up to the individual consumer. While not a common bottle that can always be found on shelves, this is a regular release in the E. H. Taylor line that Buffalo Trace shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

The nose is pralines and cream up front, and then creamy butter pecan ice cream — it’s a standout note that’s recognizable at once. The vanilla is folded into that ice cream scent at first and then slowly extracts itself to become more and more potent. After that initial hit of dessert treats, berries enter the fray, in this case overly ripe raspberries. It’s a rich, complex, sweet nose that could likely go toe to toe with some barrel strength pours, though potentially with a bit more finesse.

Taste

The rich nose drops into a slightly thinner-than-anticipated mouthfeel, which tones down those decadent dessert notes. Once a few sips have helped acclimate the palate, flavors include toasted coconut, vanilla rice pudding, and brandy-soaked raisins.

There’s a lot more fruit here after the third or fourth sip, mostly in the form of cherry but also red berries, and it brings some welcome tartness to cut the sweeter elements. The balance of fruit and tartness with oak is something I’ve personally found will vary a bit more from one barrel to the next.

For this particular pour (and based on the nose), I was expecting a bit more oak at first, and it’s there with patience and further time in the glass. But this non-age-stated whiskey is far from an oak bomb, so much so that I wouldn’t have minded significantly more influence from the wood.

Finish

The finish gets much more tannic than other parts of the pour, with dried tobacco and barrel char leading the way. Medicinal cherry, raisin, and red berry are all still present and gradually dissipate to give way to stronger wood and vegetal notes (herbs, tobacco) as well as very light rye spice.

E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon Rating

92/100

Recap

E. H. Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon remains a quality release with few duds and occasionally some big hits. Though retail pricing tends to creep up above MSRP more and more these days, it’s still a much more accessible, findable bottle than some other E. H. Taylor expressions like Barrel Proof and Four Grain.

While each bottle (or barrel, I should say) will be a bit different, what I tasted here seems to be about in line with what one can expect from E. H. Taylor Single Barrel, at least anecdotally. To be fair, there are bottlings out there that will stand a bit above, and the scoring for those could rise accordingly by up to a few points.

The variance is half the fun, and there’s something exciting about opening a bottle with the knowledge it won’t be exactly like anything you’ve tasted before.