Buffalo Trace Drops Colonel EH Taylor Jr. Barrel Proof Rye

Buffalo Trace has unveiled a barrel-aged rye whiskey from its Colonel EH Taylor, JR brand. (Photo: Buffalo Trace)

Buffalo Trace announced Thursday the latest addition to the brand’s EH Taylor, Jr. collection, an unfiltered rye that features a new recipe and is bottled at barrel proof. It pays homage to Taylor Jr., known as the “father of the modern bourbon industry,” according to the brand.

“Colonel Taylor’s impact on the bourbon industry is immeasurable, more than 130 years after the construction of his famous and innovative Warehouse C, the Buffalo Trace Distillery remains committed to producing exceptional whiskey with the highest quality ingredients ” said Andrew Duncan, Buffalo Trace Global Brand Director. in a press release. “Colonel EH Taylor Jr. Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey is an exceptional, uncut and unfiltered expression that pays homage to the pioneering vision of EH Taylor.”

Taylor purchased OFC Distillery, the ancestral home of Buffalo Trace Distillery, in 1869. He was ahead of his time, according to Buffalo Trace, making rye whiskey a century before it became popular again and played a major role in the passage of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897.

Bottled at 126 proof, Colonel EH Taylor, Jr. Whiskey has a suggested retail price of $77.99 per 750 milliliter bottle. Barrel-proof rye is the 13th whiskey in the Colonel EH Taylor, Jr. collection.

In May, Buffalo Trace unveiled Weller Millenium, an experimental whiskey that’s a blend of vintage wheated bourbons and wheated whiskeys. The oldest liquid in the blend dates back to 2000, and the 99-proof whiskey has a suggested retail price of $7,500. The brand is rolling it out in limited quantities starting in June.

This latest release from the EH Taylor, Jr. collection carries a much more affordable suggested retail price, although it is highly likely that the whiskey will sell for significantly more on the secondary market.

“Spirits enthusiasts know there’s nothing like enjoying whiskey in its most authentic, untouched form, straight from the barrel,” said Harlen Wheatley, Master Distiller at Buffalo Trace Distillery. “Barrel Proof Rye takes Colonel EH Taylor’s beloved Straight Rye Whiskey recipe to the next level and delivers a new version that perfectly complements the EH Taylor, Jr. collection.”

Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey Tasting Notes, via Buffalo Trace

Nose: White pepper with a hazelnut base, combined with flowers and apricots.

Taste: Stone fruit, pepper, with well-integrated oak.

Finishing: Long and sweet.

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