Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Batch 16 127.3 Proof

Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Batch 16 is a Kentucky straight bourbon bottled directly from hand-selected barrels at cask strength — uncut and unfiltered at 127.3 proof, in the spirit of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 that Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. himself championed.

E.H. Taylor Jr. is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the modern bourbon industry — he built the Old Fashioned Copper Distillery (now Buffalo Trace) in the 1870s, pioneered temperature-controlled warehouses for consistent maturation, and fought for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, which established the first government-backed quality standard for American whiskey. The Taylor brand at Buffalo Trace honors his legacy.

The Barrel Proof expression is the most assertive in the E.H. Taylor lineup — bottled without water addition at the natural barrel proof. Each release is numbered; Batch 16 is a specific selection from Buffalo Trace's warehouse inventory meeting the Barrel Proof threshold, bottled at 127.3 proof.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Rich caramel, oak, and warm baking spice
• Palate: Full and intense at cask strength — dark caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and pepper
• Finish: Long, warming, and spirit-forward

Specs

• Distillery: Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Barrel Proof, Uncut, Unfiltered
• Proof: 127.3 (63.65% ABV)
• Batch: 16
• Size: 750ml

Browse all E.H. Taylor at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr.?

Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr. built the distillery now known as Buffalo Trace in the 1870s, pioneered scientific barrel maturation with temperature-controlled warehouses, and was the driving force behind the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 — the first federal quality standard for American whiskey.

What does Barrel Proof mean here?

The whiskey is bottled straight from the barrel with no water added, at its natural strength. Batch 16 comes in at 127.3 proof — considerably more intense than the standard 100-proof Bottled-in-Bond format.

How should I drink it?

At 127.3 proof it's powerful neat; a few drops of water open it up, and it makes an exceptionally robust Old Fashioned.