Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr. was one of the most influential figures in 19th-century American whiskey history. He owned and operated the distillery now known as Buffalo Trace (then called O.F.C.), modernized Kentucky bourbon production, and was the principal lobbyist behind the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act — the strictest labeling rule on an American whiskey bottle. The modern E.H. Taylor line, produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery, is named in his honor and the Small Batch expression carries forward the bottled-in-bond designation he fought to establish. For the full BiB context, see our Father's Day Bottled-in-Bond gift guide.

Classic Buffalo Trace mashbill #1 character — caramel, vanilla, dark fruit, gentle baking spice — but with notably more polish and complexity than the base Buffalo Trace ($78.99). The 100-proof bottling gives it weight without aggression; the small-batch blending strategy produces a layered, refined pour with a long finish that picks up dried orange peel, mint, and oak tannin. Compared to Eagle Rare 10 ($49.99) from the same distillery, E.H. Taylor Small Batch is more concentrated and structured; compared to Henry McKenna 10 Year BiB ($98.99), it's broader in the small-batch blending profile rather than a single-barrel snapshot.

For the dad who reads back labels and appreciates the credentials story, yes — the E.H. Taylor name, the Buffalo Trace Distillery provenance, and the bottled-in-bond designation together make this one of the most narratively rich bottles at the price point. Liquid-wise, it competes credibly with mid-shelf single-barrel bourbons like Henry McKenna 10 BiB and the upper tier of the Buffalo Trace family. If you want the absolute peak of the E.H. Taylor line, the E.H. Taylor Single Barrel ($169.99 in our store) is the next step up. Featured as the apex pick in our Father's Day Bottled-in-Bond gift guide.

The Buffalo Trace family has several tiers. At the entry are Buffalo Trace ($78.99) and Eagle Rare 10 ($49.99). E.H. Taylor Small Batch sits in the premium-mid tier with E.H. Taylor Single Barrel. Above that are the heavily allocated bottles — the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (Stagg, Eagle Rare 17, Sazerac 18, William Larue Weller, Thomas Handy Sazerac), and the Weller Premium line. E.H. Taylor Small Batch is one of the most reliably available premium-mid Buffalo Trace bottles — less allocation pressure than Blanton's or Weller 12, which makes it the right pick when you need a dependable premium gift bottle without the secondary-market chase.

Neat in a heavyweight Glencairn nosing glass is the natural answer — the small-batch blending complexity rewards careful nosing, and the 100-proof bottling carries warmth without burn. With one large ice cube it opens up further; the dried-orange and mint notes become more prominent. In cocktails, it makes an exceptional Old Fashioned or Manhattan, but at $94.99 the higher-and-better use is the neat sipping pour rather than the cocktail base — reach for Wild Turkey 101 ($39.99) for cocktail work and save E.H. Taylor for the after-dinner drink.

E.H. Taylor Small Batch ships via UPS Ground from our New Jersey warehouse with adult-signature confirmation required on delivery. Transit time runs 1-2 business days to most Northeast addresses (NJ, NY, CT, PA, MA), 2-3 days to the Midwest and Southeast, and 4-5 days to the West Coast. Browse the full Bourbon collection or the Best Sellers shelf for more.