Light toasted oak | Pie crust | Caramel | Honey | Stone fruits

Brown sugar | Aged oak | Cinnamon | Apricot | Raisin | Hint of strawberry | Slightly thin mouthfeel

Baking spices | Apricot | Vanilla | Caramel | Brown sugar | Aged oak | Long

Elmer T. Lee was one of the great master distillers of Buffalo Trace for 36 years before retiring in 1985 and passing in 2013. As the pioneer of mass-produced single barrel bourbons, Elmer was responsible for bringing the first mass-produced single barrel to consumers, also known as Blanton’s Original Single Barrel, to market, and was eventually honored by Buffalo Trace with his own single barrel bourbon. This particular single barrel used Buffalo Trace’s #2 mashbill, which is a high rye that’s believed to contain approximately 15% rye.

It’s been about 5 years since we last reviewed Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel. Very little has changed with the flavor profile. It’s a traditional mix, with caramel, vanilla, and various forms of oak weaving their way throughout the sip. Hints of stone fruits, apricot, raisin, and even a light strawberry note layer overtop the traditional base, taking the bourbon in an enjoyable direction. While the mouthfeel is slightly thin, the finish is long, with baking spices and apricot lingering for quite a while.

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel continues to deliver a solid, quintessential Kentucky bourbon experience with its sip. While the flavor profile has remained relatively steady, the suggested price has doubled from $40 to $80 since we last visited it. This isn’t surprising, as the bourbon is rarely seen on shelves and commands multiples of that in the secondary market. That being said, $80 is probably right in the target zone for what this bourbon delivers and where the market has gone, so at its suggested price, it’s worth picking up.