Vanilla cream | Toffee | Apple | Apricot | Nutmeg | Light oak

Caramel | Toasted marshmallow | Vanilla | Sweet oak

Cherry | Toasted oak | Light spice | Black pepper | Baking spices | Brown sugar

After years of rumors, Buffalo Trace finally expanded its Buffalo Trace Antique Collection this year. Though many thought it might be the cult favorite Elmer T. Lee or the ultra-popular Blanton’s that would get the promotion, it makes sense that E.H. Taylor gets its due. The company has given the brand a renewed focus over recent years, with a new limited release bestowed upon it on a near-annual basis. 

The inaugural Antique Collection batch of E.H. Taylor Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon is anything but simple in its construction. Handpicked barrels from six warehouses and six different floors suggest the blenders behind this batch had a flavor profile goal in mind they hoped to achieve. Age also plays a role, which isn’t typically a major factor in E.H. Taylor releases, and a 15 year, 4 month age is not only impressive, it's a treat for any long time fans of the brand.

The core E.H. Taylor releases are all known for their balance and drinkability. Nicely blended and well rounded, they are hard to find major fault with. Those core attributes are carried over to the Antique Collection release, which may be great news for some, but disappointing for others. This release isn’t reinventing what it means to be an E.H. Taylor bourbon, nor should it. The Antique Collection is meant to be the best representation of the company's core brands (or at least the expressions they would like to highlight) and their distilling and blending capabilities as a whole. What you may love or hate about E.H. Taylor standard releases will remain true here too.

The bourbon opens with an approachable aroma of vanilla cream and soft toffee, followed by apple and apricot scents. Nutmeg follows with light oak in tow. The palate delivers a smooth roll-out of caramel, toasted marshmallow, and vanilla, which are complemented by sweet oak. The finish begins with toasted oak, adding in light spice and black pepper for a gentle pop. This is followed by a general blend of baking spices, ending on brown sugar.

Reading only the tasting notes, there doesn’t seem much to get overly excited about. But, E.H. Taylor bourbons aren’t necessarily known only for the specific flavor notes present. They are known for how they drink as a whole and their delivery. The Antique Collection’s E.H. Taylor Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon is expertly balanced, which results in a great drinking bourbon. There aren’t any peaks or valleys here. The bourbon’s spice, oak, and fruit notes are all precisely dialed into each other. It will be this lack of fireworks that some spending an extraordinary amount for on the secondary market may result in buyer’s remorse. As anyone that has ever had a particularly great single barrel E.H. Taylor can attest to, the brand’s lack of gimmicks and uniqueness is what actually makes this brand stand out. For an inaugural batch, E.H. Taylor Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon hits the marks it needed to.

‍*Editor's Note 11/28/2025: The original posting of this review was cut off on publishing. The full review has now been posted.