Buffalo Trace Brought Back Two Collectible EH Taylor Bourbons
As any whiskey fan knows, Buffalo Trace is the source of so much highly sought after (and often highly allocated) bourbon: Pappy Van Winkle, the Antique Collection, W.L. Weller, just to name a few. Another name that doesn’t always get as much attention, but still has some supremely collectible bottles in its lineup, is Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. And the distillery just announced that it was making two of those whiskeys easier to find . . . sort of.
The whiskeys in question are called Four Grain and Cured Oak; the former is now an annual limited release in the portfolio, while the latter is now a “rare, limited offering.” In other words, it’s still going to be a challenge to find both of these whiskeys. Still, they have become collector’s items for different reasons over the years, which is why they are getting some renewed attention. Four Grain was first released in 2017 as a bottled-in-bond bourbon that was made from a mashbill of four different grains: corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley. (Buffalo Trace doesn’t reveal specifics of its mashbills.)
The new release of Four Grain was distilled in 2015 and aged for a decade, which is a bit younger than past releases. While we haven’t gotten a sample to try yet, the official tasting notes highlight what each grain brings to the palate: “corn delivers foundational sweetness, rye adds spice and structure, wheat softens the palate with subtle sweetness, and malted barley contributes depth with a gentle toasted character.”
“[Four Grain] is . . . a clear example of what we call a ‘graduated experiment,” master distiller Harlen Wheatley said in a statement. “One that began as a deliberate exploration and evolved into a release worthy of returning as a permanent expression. Rye and wheat are often used separately, but combining them creates a completely different flavor experience.”
The other whiskey, Cured Oak, was originally released in 2015 as a bottled-in-bond bourbon (100 proof, at least 4 years old) aged for 17 years. The new release was spent 10 years in barrels made from staves that were air dried for a total of 13 months, which the distillery says is more than twice the standard amount of time and is supposed to allow the whiskey to draw deeper flavors from the wood. “What you notice with Cured Oak is the added depth and complexity that comes from the extended curing process,” said Wheatley. “Most of our barrels are cured for six months, but with this release the extended curing brings forward richer notes that create a longer, more layered finish.” Look for notes of tobacco, dried fruit, vanilla, and toffee, on the palate, followed by a long, dry finish.
Both Four Grain and Cured Oak are available starting this month: Four Grain at the distillery, Sazerac House Gift Shop, and select retailers in Kentucky and Louisiana, and Cured Oak at liquor stores around the country. The suggested retail price for both is $80, but let’s not forget that the suggested retail price for Pappy 15 is $240, so . . . happy hunting!
