SapperDawg
06-05-2015, 09:29 AM
I have been admiring this bottle of COL EH Taylor Single Barrel in my local store for months, and never could pull the trigger. A colleague brought one in for our Friday tasting, so I finally got to get my feet wet. This is an 11 y/o whiskey from the Buffalo Trace low rye mash-bill (BT mash-bills here - http://bourbonr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Mash-Bill-break-down2.png). Some members of this mash family are Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, Old Charter and a few others.
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo192/scumglove/1C1DFF44-E9E3-4CF1-B53F-15A2E83AF1B6_zpsy2nlbnof.jpg (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/scumglove/media/1C1DFF44-E9E3-4CF1-B53F-15A2E83AF1B6_zpsy2nlbnof.jpg.html)
The bottle is great looking, like an old time whiskey bottle, and one I will probably keep around for hot sauces and BBQ sauces later on. This one is viscous to the point of being oily, which I like from the older expressions. I got a distinct vanilla at one point, along with butter. Not butterscotch, just butter. It is hot on the backside due to the 100 proof bottling, but not in a bad way, kind of like the after effects from a mint. I really liked this one. Not sure I like it to the point of adding to my personal collection at $60, but it is a good drink if you want to put one in your cabinet.
Once I started researching the single barrel, I found the COL EH Taylor Small Batch was rated as good or better than the single barrel, and happened to find that on the way home from work. I snatched that bottle to complete the tasting this weekend. Still bottled at 100 proof, this one is a seven year old variety.
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo192/scumglove/7C2AC7FD-6F3B-4B87-86A5-96F83B28543F_zpsit6jarji.jpg (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/scumglove/media/7C2AC7FD-6F3B-4B87-86A5-96F83B28543F_zpsit6jarji.jpg.html)
As you can expect, the Small Batch has much the same flavor profile of he Single Barrel, just a bit muted. I found it to be not quite as viscous, although more so the other seven-ish year olds I have had.
My recommendations: If you want a frequent drinker, get the Small Batch and have it on an ice ball. If you want a neat sipper, get the Single Barrel.
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo192/scumglove/1C1DFF44-E9E3-4CF1-B53F-15A2E83AF1B6_zpsy2nlbnof.jpg (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/scumglove/media/1C1DFF44-E9E3-4CF1-B53F-15A2E83AF1B6_zpsy2nlbnof.jpg.html)
The bottle is great looking, like an old time whiskey bottle, and one I will probably keep around for hot sauces and BBQ sauces later on. This one is viscous to the point of being oily, which I like from the older expressions. I got a distinct vanilla at one point, along with butter. Not butterscotch, just butter. It is hot on the backside due to the 100 proof bottling, but not in a bad way, kind of like the after effects from a mint. I really liked this one. Not sure I like it to the point of adding to my personal collection at $60, but it is a good drink if you want to put one in your cabinet.
Once I started researching the single barrel, I found the COL EH Taylor Small Batch was rated as good or better than the single barrel, and happened to find that on the way home from work. I snatched that bottle to complete the tasting this weekend. Still bottled at 100 proof, this one is a seven year old variety.
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo192/scumglove/7C2AC7FD-6F3B-4B87-86A5-96F83B28543F_zpsit6jarji.jpg (http://s375.photobucket.com/user/scumglove/media/7C2AC7FD-6F3B-4B87-86A5-96F83B28543F_zpsit6jarji.jpg.html)
As you can expect, the Small Batch has much the same flavor profile of he Single Barrel, just a bit muted. I found it to be not quite as viscous, although more so the other seven-ish year olds I have had.
My recommendations: If you want a frequent drinker, get the Small Batch and have it on an ice ball. If you want a neat sipper, get the Single Barrel.