BourbonEnthusiast.com

I came back to work this morning after being off for three days last week and what do I find on my desk but a package from Buffalo Trace. Having seen Angela Traver at the Hall of Fame ceremony last Friday I know that this is a sample of the new E H Taylor bourbon distilled with the new microdistillery at Buffalo Trace. I am sitting reference duty this morning, so I can not wait until after lunch to open the package and see what I have been sent. I have a Filson Bourbon Academy tonight, but by tomorrow night I will be able to report back on the whiskey that was distilled a few weeks ago.

It is not that hard since I can open it until after work, but the Filson Bourbon Academy may get a suprise taste tonight!

I did not get to open this last night. It was late when I got home and I had had 4 drinks at the academy and I want a nice clean pallet with this. I did open the package and the sample is 119.8 proof off the still. This will be placed in the barrel at 105 proof. This is a step in the right direction! A big step I might add.

I have opened the sample of E H Taylor white dog that was made with white corn and about 25% barley malt. It has come off the still at 119.8 proof and it will go into the barrel at 105 proof.

The nose is very rich in corn sweetness and malt. It is almost like a bread dough in aroma with lots of grain and a hint of yeast.

The flavor very sweet with corn and a initial blast of fruit - wild berries followed by some very nice spiciness that is peppery. There is a little fire in the back of throat in the taste but the finish is peppery and sweet. Think of some pepper on buttered corn and that might describe it. The second sip looses that fire but the finish is still very peppery. This has a nice chewy mouth feel and it is not for those with a faint heart. These pepper spices will make some think "Oh, that is too strong" but I think not. I will have to drop it to about 105 proof and try it again.

This is a very flavorfull white dog. I think these flavors in an oak barrel will do very well. This bourbon is going to have flavor that does not come from the barrel and I think I will really like it. Good job Buffalo Trace.

Sounds better than good, Professor Veach! It's good to see that Buffalo Trace is making excellent use of their new micro-distillery.

It is somewhat of a shame that many of our more well positioned friends aren't making use of this easily accessed/leased distilling facility where they could distil the whisk(e)y mashbill of their dreams. Mayhaps this will spur them onward.

Godspeed,

Linn

They are using 53 gallon barrels with No. 3 char for the E H Taylor, Jr. bourbon. I think I might have gone with a No 2 char to let the grain shine through even more, but maybe it does not need the light char to come through.

sounds like they are right on track. white corn seems to let malt come through a little better.

Mike, there are some older threads I haven't had a chance to catch up with until now, and I was struck by mentions of both white corn and 25% barley malt.

Is this historically what the Taylor bourbon used? The mention of a berry-like taste is interesting too because 70's Taylor definitely had something of that nature.

Was this recipe designed to follow one known historically to be used for Old Taylor?

Gary

Gary,
This recipe was inspired by my knowledge from cataloging the Taylor-Hay family papers and yes these were all mentioned in Taylor's papers. He was quite proud of the fact that they only used white corn in their product. He also states that he uses 250% more barley than other distillers because he thought (correctly in my opinion) that barley added a sweetness and nutty flavor that could not be found in other grains. Now if you consider that 10% malt was then standard for conversion, then he must have used 25% barley malt. I would say that it had to range between 15% and 25% but Mark Brown went with the higher number. If you come tom Louisville anytime soon, look me up and I will let you taste this new made spirit.

Okay thanks, so is it more historical to his brands of 100 years ago than Old Taylor as last made under National Distillers?

Gary

That is correct. I suspect it is also closer to the whiskey Dr. Crow made as well.

Thanks Mike. And yet, Old Taylor as last made by National Distillers is still an excellent bourbon.

Gary

I agree that the National Distillers Old Taylor was excellent. I particulary like the Bonded Old Taylor. I am curious as to what this version of Old Taylor will taste like after some age. I may have to save some pre-prohibition Old Crow for a comparison. I suspect they will be very similar.

So does anyone know when it will be in stores? Here is something interesting about white corn that I learned at the Eiteljorg Museum. In the begining there was one tribe that grew white corn. It was considered very valuable. White corn was only traded as corn meal, to control who could grow it.

I suspect that it will be at least another three and a half years before this hits the market. I can not see Buffalo trace releasing it before it is four years old. In all likelihood, it will be another five to seven years.