Our Review Of Buffalo Trace’s New $1,500 Bourbon

They don’t make bourbon like they used to, but what if they did?

It’s a simple question, one posed by a group of American whiskey luminaries, now dubbed the “Distiller’s Council,” back in 1996, and now, in 2025, we finally have the answer. Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Distiller’s Council is the newest bourbon from Buffalo Trace, but what makes it so unique is that it draws its inspiration from the past. Utilizing production practices that date back to the late 19th century, when Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. (the man) was running the show at what was then known as the O.F.C. Distillery. This bourbon features a recreation of his original grain recipe as well as Taylor’s fermentation and sour mashing process.

The visionaries in that 1996 group include well-known names in contemporary bourbon circles, such as Mark Brown, Elmer T. Lee, and Buffalo Trace’s current Master Distiller, Harlen Wheatley, among others. The group tasked itself with speaking to longtime distillery employees and other masters of their craft to try to hone in on what made old-school bourbon so special. Now, in 2025, we finally get to taste the fruits of their labor: A meticulously made hyper-premium bourbon, crafted in the Bottled-in-Bond mold that E.H. Taylor was integral in pioneering.

The resultant liquid is housed in a vintage-style Grecian glass decanter modeled after the Old Taylor bottle of yesteryear, one that was popularized through advertisements in the era’s foremost publications. This release, currently intended to be a one-off, marks the 14th entry into the Colonel Taylor portfolio and stands alone as the priciest expression to date. With an MSRP of $1,500, reflecting both the time it took to craft this whiskey and the high-quality packaging it comes in, one might give pause and ask, is the juice worth the squeeze?

While not as iconic as the Distiller’s Council itself, I was fortunate to be part of an exclusive group that was afforded a sneak preview of this whiskey at New Orleans’ famed Sazerac House in June. Keep reading for my full review to find out whether this whiskey, made in the traditional way, offers promise for the future, or if it’s a relic best left in the past.

Time to dive in!

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Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Distiller’s Council Review

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $1,500

The Whiskey:

Whether it’s the use of copper fermentation tanks, steam-heated barrel warehouses, or his advocacy leading to the passage of the landmark Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr.’s legacy is cemented in bourbon history. To honor the techniques that he helped revolutionize, Buffalo Trace created this bottled-in-bond bourbon using the same grain varietals as its famed mash bill #1, albeit with a revival of his grain recipe and his fermentation process, setting it apart from the rest of the E.H. Taylor bourbon lineup. Once it reached its peak maturity, this non-age-stated bourbon was bottled in a decanter modeled after Old Taylor’s original 1950s decanter, which itself was styled after ancient Grecian vases.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The aroma profile begins with an outpouring of cedar and tobacco leaves. Once that earthy top note blows off, a robust base of honeycomb and underripe apples begins billowing out of the glass to greet the senses. Finally, notes of peppercorn, green tree bark, black tea, and herbal tea accent the air along with closing notes of sponge cake and maple candy.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey follows the lead of its nosing notes as cedar, freshly baked biscuits, and tobacco leaves grace the tongue before swiftly receding to reveal green grapes and maple candy with some of those herbaceous and eucalyptus qualities cropping up at mid palate. It’s a grain-forward melange of flavors that weaves corn husk, nutmeg, and sponge cake notes with black tea and a rich butterscotch note, reminiscent of vintage bourbons.

Finish: The short-to-medium finish on this bourbon prominently features nutmeg, hazelnuts, and maple candy before tapering off with a touch of nougat, barrel char, and honey.

Bottom Line:

It may seem odd to say, but this whiskey very much tastes like a precursor to dusty bourbon. If you’ve ever tasted bourbon from the 70s and 80s, it tends to have a “dusty” quality and a rich butterscotch note that makes it almost immediately distinct from contemporary bourbon. Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Distiller’s Council offers a similar experience, and though it’s more muted than standout expressions from that era, one can easily imagine it continuing to evolve to rival them.

Without wading too heavily into the debate over whether a whiskey “opens up” once exposed to oxygen, what’s striking about this whiskey is that you can actually taste the potential that it will improve over time and grow increasingly similar to “dusty bourbon” as it rests in an open bottle. While the overall experience is more grain-forward than the rest of the Colonel E.H. Taylor bourbon lineup, its subtle layers of supporting flavors are a success, as they offer insight into how bourbon was made and thus tasted during Taylor’s heyday.

The price is the 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 yesteryear 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-day example of the way whiskey used to be made is both eye-opening and exceedingly enjoyable.

Ranking: 89/100