Colonel EH Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey

Colonel EH Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey is the latest release in this series. Although the Taylor family is primarily made up of bourbons, it is not tied to them. Likewise, most – though not all – Taylor brands are bottled in bond bottles; the Barrel Proof Bourbon also foregoes BiB certification. This is almost a given, as bonded whiskey must be bottled at 100 proof, while extracting a desirable barrel proof whiskey at just the right alcohol content – let alone in commercial quantities – is unpredictable.

It is undiluted, meaning no water has been added, and unfiltered, meaning no chill filtering to clarify the alcohol. It is bottled as is, straight from the barrel at 126 proof. And when you taste it, you will probably agree that it would be a reprehensible violation of the rules of good whiskey to sell it any other way.

You know you’re holding a rye bread as soon as you open the bottle and take a sniff – although given how sweet it is, I’d be surprised if the rye mash didn’t contain a pretty good portion of corn. A little atypical for a rye bread, however, is that its deli bread scent doesn’t come with a pinch of pepper on the nose. Instead, it stands out with cinnamon, cherries, and cocoa powder. There’s a hint of oak at the end. These are good promises, and I’m excited to try it. But while I let it sink in, I want to tell you a little more about it.