BTAC Colonel E.H. Taylor Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

This Colonel E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon finally brings the legendary name into the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Collectors have waited a long time. Drawn from low-rye Mash Bill No. 1 and matured over fifteen years in storied Warehouse C, this bourbon radiates patient craftsmanship.

The nose is filled with warm vanilla, toasted caramel, seasoned oak, and a hint of maple and citrus peel. The aroma feels quietly, almost stubbornly, luxurious. On the palate, caramel corn, butterscotch, licorice, and maple intertwine with baking spice, citrus zest, and deep, polished oak for an enveloping sip. Despite the age, the structure stays focused, with sweetness and spice trading places rather than shouting over each other.

The finish lingers with layered oak, vanilla fudge, cherry skins, and a faint ember of char and rye-driven spice. It hangs on long after swallowing. At 100 proof, it lands in that rare zone where intensity, detail, and sheer drinkability align, making every pour feel deliberately unhurried. This is the kind of bourbon you open to mark something that mattered, not just because it showed up on a shelf.

Collector's Take: You KNOW the first release will be uber-collectible and will command an even higher premium as we move forward.

Nose: Warm vanilla and maple syrup over toasted caramel, citrus peel, seasoned oak, and a dry wisp of char and rye spice. Nothing feels rushed or sharp.

Palate: Caramel corn and butterscotch roll in first, followed by maple, licorice, orange oil, baking spice, and deep, chewy oak. It tastes dense yet surprisingly nimble.

Finish: Long, warming waves of oak, vanilla cream, dark cherry, and smoldering char drift on, with gentle rye spice humming underneath. The afterglow feels almost nostalgic.

This bourbon loves rich, char-driven food. Pair it with a ribeye kissed by smoke, roasted bone marrow, or maple-glazed pork belly and the sweetness in the whiskey snaps into focus. Smoked brisket or burnt ends pick up the maple and char notes in a way that feels almost tailor-made.

On the sweeter side, it shines beside desserts that echo its caramel and cherry profile. Think pecan pie or dark chocolate. A dense chocolate torte with sea salt, or an espresso-soaked tiramisu, lets the bourbon’s baking spices and maple tones thread through every bite.

For cheese boards, reach for age and character. Old gouda, clothbound cheddar, or a nutty alpine cheese play beautifully with the whiskey’s oak, vanilla, and gentle cherry brightness. Salty, crunchy nuts lock everything together.