Friday, March 18, 2011

Drink of the Week: Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon

Considered one of the forefathers of the bourbon industry, Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. purchased his first distillery in 1869 and introduced industry innovations that modernized bourbon for generations. Today’s Drink of the Week, the Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Old Fashioned Sour Mash bourbon, replicates his patented sour mash technique, which was developed after retired employees recounted a method in which Taylor would have made his mash more than a century ago. Sour mashing uses materials from an older batch of mash to help kick-start the fermentation of the new batch, much as in making sourdough bread, and after nine years of aging this bourbon is incredibly smooth and complex. Sweet brown sugar and candied apple aromas open into flavors that evolve from peppery spice to fresh tropical fruits to a hint of barrel smoke on the finish. A one-time limited release, this bourbon hit the nationwide marketplace earlier this week. And for more on the history of bourbon and some of its key players check out “Spirit of the South” in our March/April issue.
$70, buffalotrace.com for distribution information