E.H. Taylor Straight Rye Whiskey

Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Straight Rye Whiskey — Bottled-in-Bond, 100 Proof

Price

$179.95

✔ Authenticated by the house — seal, fill level, and label inspected before release
✔ Documented provenance on every bottle
✔ Climate-safe, collector-grade packaging

Age: NAS (Usually ~7-9 Years) | Region: Frankfort, Kentucky | Proof: 100

Secure payments

Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

100

Proof

50%

ABV

None stated

Age

Kentucky

Region

Small batch

Batching

Sazerac Company

Brand owner

Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Straight Rye is a small batch, Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky straight rye whiskey from Buffalo Trace Distillery, bottled at 100 proof, 50% ABV. Its mash bill is rye and malted barley with no corn at all — unusual among American ryes, most of which carry a corn component. Sazerac presents it as a tribute to the style of rye Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. was producing in the 1800s.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

Rye and malted barley, no corn. That is the whole grain bill.

100 proof, 50% ABV — fixed by the Bottled-in-Bond Act rather than chosen.

Small batch, and bonded: one distillery, one distillation season, four years minimum under federal supervision.

Built as a reconstruction of the rye style Taylor himself was making in the 1800s, not as a line extension.

Fresh dill on the nose — a marker of genuinely rye-forward distillate rather than a rye-flavoured bourbon.

Same proof and same bonded standard as the Taylor bourbons, on an entirely different grain.

Nº 02

How It Was Made

Straight Rye

Rye whiskey in the United States must contain at least 51% rye, and most producers stop close to that line, filling the balance with corn. Corn brings sweetness and, just as importantly, makes the mash easier to handle — rye is sticky and prone to foaming, and a corn component is partly an engineering decision rather than a flavour one. Sazerac states that this mash bill uses rye and malted barley only, with no corn at all, which places it among a small group of American ryes working without that cushion. The whiskey is then batched in small lots and bottled to the Bottled-in-Bond standard: the product of one distillery in one distillation season, at least four years in a federally supervised warehouse, and exactly 100 proof. Sazerac frames the expression as a return to the rye Taylor was producing in the 1800s, when corn-free rye mashes were more common than they became.

Nº 03

At a Glance

The defining facts

Designation

Bottled-in-Bond under the Act of 1897

One distillery, one distillation season, federally bonded warehouse, exactly 100 proof

Mash bill

Rye and malted barley, no corn

Stated by Sazerac

Batching

Small batch

Class

Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey,

Bottled-in-Bond

Nº 04

Sensory Profile & Strategy

Distiller notes & position

Sensory Profile

Nose: Dried fruit and black pepper, with a touch of fresh dill.
Palate: Sweet and savoury together, dark spices balanced against subtle caramel.
Finish: An oaky dryness that lingers and turns sweet at the end.

Strategic Position

A great many American ryes clear the 51% rye minimum and fill the rest with corn, which softens them toward bourbon. This one has no corn to soften it, which is why the dill and black pepper read so clearly and why it tastes less like a bourbon's cousin than most bonded ryes do. For anyone working out whether they actually like rye or simply like high-rye bourbon, it is a useful control. It sits with the Kentucky rye whiskeys in our vault.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault provenance

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Collector Note

The grain bill is the reason to pay attention here, and it is also the reason this bottle is harder to substitute than its price suggests. A corn-free rye mash is a production choice with a cost — rye is difficult to work with in the mash tun and distillers add corn partly to make it behave — so the distilleries willing to run one are few, and among bonded ryes at this price fewer still. That makes this less a collectible than a reference bottle: the thing you keep open to check other ryes against. Worth noting that the Taylor range applies one standard across two completely different grains, which is unusual in itself. The bonded bourbon that shares its proof and the barrel-proof version of this rye sit either side of it.

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How to Taste It

Neat to understand it, in a cocktail to use it. The dill and black pepper that mark the nose vanish under sugar, so taste it on its own before deciding what it is. In a Sazerac or a Manhattan the absence of corn tells — drinks come out drier and more structured than the same build with a corn-heavy rye, and the bonded 100 proof carries through dilution where an 80-proof rye disappears. A small amount of water opens the dried fruit without flattening the pepper.

Collector IndexMW VAULT

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky
Class: Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, Bottled-in-Bond
Proof: 100
ABV: 50%
Age statement: None stated

Nº 06

Technical Specifications

Specification	Detail
Class	Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, Bottled-in-Bond
Proof	100
ABV	50%
Mash bill	Rye and malted barley, no corn — stated by Sazerac
Batching	Small batch
Age statement	None stated. Bottled-in-Bond requires a minimum of four years.
Designation	Bottled-in-Bond under the Act of 1897 — one distillery, one distillation season, federally bonded warehouse, exactly 100 proof
Region	Kentucky
Distillery	Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky
Brand owner	Sazerac Company

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Authentication & Vault Preservation

Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authentic, sealed product and inspected before it ships. Orders are packed with padded, glass-rated handling and require an adult signature (21+) on delivery; we do not ship to anyone unable to verify legal drinking age. For our full sourcing and handling protocols, see our editorial and authentication standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mash bill of Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Rye?

Rye and malted barley, with no corn. Sazerac states the grain bill directly, which is unusual — Buffalo Trace does not publish mash bills for most of its brands, including the Colonel E.H. Taylor bourbons. American rye whiskey only requires 51% rye, and most producers make up the balance with corn, so a corn-free mash puts this among a small group.

What proof is Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Rye?

100 proof, or 50% ABV. That figure is not a house preference but a requirement of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, which specifies exactly 100 proof along with single-distillery, single-season production and a minimum of four years in a federally bonded warehouse. Every bonded expression in the Colonel E.H. Taylor range carries the same proof for the same reason.

Is Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Rye made from the same recipe as the bourbon?

No, and the two are not comparable in that way. Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Rye is made from rye and malted barley with no corn, a grain bill Sazerac publishes. The Colonel E.H. Taylor bourbons must by law be at least 51% corn, and Buffalo Trace has never disclosed their exact mash bill. What the expressions share is the Bottled-in-Bond standard and the resulting 100 proof, not a recipe.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Straight Rye

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E.H. Taylor, Jr.

The Elemental Distinction

How It Was Made