They don’t make bourbon like they used to, but what if they did?
It’s a simple question, posed by a group of American whiskey luminaries, now dubbed the “Distiller’s Council,” in 1996, and now, in 2025, we finally have the answer. Colonel Eh Taylor, Jr. Distiller’s Council is Buffalo Trace’s newest bourbon, but what makes it so unique is that it draws inspiration from the past. Utilizing production practices dating back to the late 19th century, when Colonel Eh Taylor, Jr. (the man) was running the show at what was then known as the OFC distillery, this bourbon features a recreation of its original grain recipe, as well as Taylor’s fermentation and sour mashing process.
The visionaries of the 1996 group include well-known names in contemporary bourbon circles, such as Mark Brown, Elmer T. Lee, and current Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley, among others. The group took it upon themselves to speak with longtime distillery employees and other masters of their craft to try to hone what made old-school bourbon so special. Now, in 2025, we finally get to taste the fruits of their labor: a meticulously crafted, hyper-premium bourbon created in the bottling mold that Eh Taylor pioneered.
The resulting liquid is housed in a vintage-style Greek glass decanter, modeled after the old Taylor bottle of yesteryear, which was popularized through advertisements in major publications of the time. This release, currently intended as a one-off, marks the 14th entry in the Colonel Taylor portfolio and stands alone as the most expensive expression to date. With an MSRP of $1,500, reflecting the time it took to create this whiskey and the high-quality packaging it comes in, one might pause and ask: is the juice worth the squeeze?
While not as iconic as the Distillers’ Council itself, I was fortunate enough to be part of an exclusive group that received a preview of this whiskey at the famed Sazerac house in New Orleans in June. Read on for my full review to find out if this whiskey, made the traditional way, offers promise for the future or is best left in the past.
Time to dive in!
Also Read: Top 5 Whiskey Posts from Uploxx
Colonel Eh Taylor, Jr. Distiller’s Council Review
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $1,500
The whiskey:
Seja o uso de tanques de fermentação de cobre, armazéns de barril com aquecimento a vapor ou sua defesa que leva à passagem do ato de reinício em 1897, o coronel Edmund Haynes Taylor, o legado de Jr. está cimentado na história de Bourbon. Para honrar as técnicas que ele ajudou a revolucionar, Buffalo Trace criou esse bourbon engarrafado em ligação usando as mesmas variedades de grãos que seu famoso projeto de lei nº 1, embora com o renascimento de sua receita de grãos e seu processo de fermentação, separando-o do restante da linha de Eh Taylor Bourbon. Uma vez atingido seu pico de maturidade, esse bourbon não declarado em idade foi engarrafado em um decantador modelado após o decantador original dos anos 50 do Old Taylor, que por si só foi denominado vasos gregos antigos.
Notas de degustação:
Nariz: O perfil do aroma começa com uma manifestação de folhas de cedro e tabaco. Uma vez que a nota superior terrena se apaga, uma base robusta de favo de mel e maçãs subsveradas começa a sair do vidro para cumprimentar os sentidos. Finalmente, notas de pimenta, casca de árvore verde, chá preto e chá de ervas acentuam o ar, além de encerrar notas de bolo de esponja e doces de bordo.
Palato: No paladar, este uísque segue a liderança de suas notas de nosing como cedro, biscoitos recém -assados e folhas de tabaco enfeitam a língua antes de recuar rapidamente para revelar uvas verdes e doces de bordo com alguns dessas qualidades herbáceas e eucaliptas surgindo no Palate Mid. É uma mistura de sabores que tece a casca de milho, noz-moscada e as notas de bolo de esponja com chá preto e uma rica nota de caramelo, remanescente de bourbons vintage.
Terminar: O final de curto a médio por meio deste bourbon apresenta noz-moscada, avelãs e doces de bordo antes de diminuir com um toque de nougat, char de barril e mel.
Resumindo:
Pode parecer estranho dizer, mas esse uísque tem um sabor como um precursor do bourbon empoeirado. Se você já provou bourbon dos anos 70 e 80, ele tende a ter uma qualidade “empoeirada” e uma rica nota de caramelo que o torna quase imediatamente distinto do bourbon contemporâneo. O coronel Eh Taylor, Jr. O Conselho de Destiller oferece uma experiência semelhante e, embora seja mais abafada do que expressões de destaque daquela época, pode -se facilmente imaginar que continua a evoluir para rivalizá -los.
Without getting too deep into the debate about whether a whiskey “opens” when exposed to oxygen, what’s impressive about this whiskey is that you can actually taste the potential to improve over time and grow increasingly similar to “dusty bourbon” as it sits in an open bottle. While the overall experience is more advanced than the rest of Colonel Eh Taylor Bourbon’s lineup, its subtle layers supporting the flavors are a success, offering insight into how the bourbon was made and, therefore, tasted during Taylor’s heyday.
Price is price, and whether it’s right for you will be determined by the size of your bank account and your affinity for vintage-style bourbon. For $1,500, you could scour the secondary market for bourbon from the past that will meet or exceed the quality found in this offering. However, suppose you want a glimpse into the future of bourbon production at Buffalo Trace. In that case, this modern example of how whiskey used to be made is surprising and extremely enjoyable.
Rating: 89/100
