Col. E. H. Taylor Barrel Proof

Producer: Old Fashioned Copper Distillery, Frankfort, KY

Distiller: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY

Age: No Age Statement, reportedly 8 years

Bottled: 2023

Proof: 131.1

Finish: None

All Taylor bourbons are bottled in bond except this one, which can't be, because it's barrel proof. It's an annual release from Buffalo Trace, and the proof will vary each year. This batch came in at a whopping 131.1 proof. All standard Taylor bourbons come from Mash Bill #1 at Buffalo Trace, which is considered their low rye mash bill. Although the exact percentage of rye is proprietary, it's generally believed to be less than 10%. There are a few Taylor bourbons that use an experimental mash bill, but they are not annual releases. See my review of Taylor Four Grain for example. This bourbon is named after Col. Edmund Haynes Taylor, who was the one time owner of what became the Buffalo Trace Distillery. As with most products from this esteemed distillery, Taylor Barrel Proof is allocated and will cost up to $500 on the secondary market.

Color: Burnt sienna

Body: Medium

Nose: Cherries, orange peel, allspice, sweet, butterscotch

Palate: Powerful blast of pepper and spice, this thing is hot, give it a second, more fruit, cherry, vanilla, butterscotch, caramel toffee, brown sugar, water brings more butterscotch, less heat

Finish: Long and hot, pepper, sweetness fades

Score: King

Song: Burning Like A Flame - Dokken

This one's a firecracker. It's a hot butterscotch bomb. Taylor Barrel Proof is not for the fainthearted. This bourbon is designed to warm you up while you're sitting around a fire pit on a cold winter's night. Be careful though. If you drink too many of these, you might fall into the fire. I love barrel proof bourbons, because that extra alcohol can extract so many flavors from the wood, but this one could use a touch of water. It helps to bring out the butterscotch sweetness and tames the fire a bit. More age would also help to mellow things out. George T. Stagg from the BTAC, for example, can handle the proof a lot better, due to its extra aging. At any rate, you have everything here. There's fruit in the way of cherry and orange. There's sweetness in the way of butterscotch, caramel toffee and brown sugar. There's spiciness in the way of pepper and allspice. There are nice vanilla barrel notes. The trouble is Taylor Barrel Proof is just a little too hot. Therefore, I recommend pairing it with Burning Like A Flame by Dokken. I know. Into The Fire could also work. Taylor Barrel Proof is expensive on the secondary market, but considering how much alcohol is in this bottle, it may be worth it. You don't need that many glasses to feel good. The bottle will last a lot longer on your shelf than a lower proof bourbon.