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.