E. H. Taylor Warehouse C Bourbon
I wanted to hate this bottle, but then I realized, it’s not the bottle’s fault.
It’s not the bottle’s fault that it came from the same warehouse as a “legendary” release of barrels that survived a tornado.
It’s not the bottle’s fault that, despite a $69 MSRP, anywhere that isn’t a control state is selling it for between 20-40x that price (yes, you read that right).
It’s not the bottle’s fault that despite it being a relatively normal bourbon, it will always be mentioned alongside and compared to the Warehouse C Tornado Survivor bottles and all the other special release EH Taylor products.
It is, however, still complete and utter bullshit that anyone would pay more than a reasonable retail markup for this bottle. It is a 10-year-old bottled-in-bond bourbon from Buffalo Trace. It’s the equivalent of a Henry McKenna for Heaven Hill. In other words, it’s not special. It was not aged in some unique way, it did not come from a unique warehouse (yes, Warehouse C was supposedly Col. Taylor’s favorite, but that doesn’t make it unique), it contains no unique mashbill or grain or finish. It’s a bourbon, plain and simple.
The pour itself is very good to great overall. I never said this was a bad bourbon, and it’s not. It’s plenty likable, and at MSRP is on par for its stats. It’s just the latest example of a whiskey whose name far outstrips its qualifications.
Warehouse C was damaged in April 2006 by a tornado - those barrels that “survived” were dubbed “Tornado Survivor” barrels and bestowed an otherworldly mythos. The thought process was simple: open to the elements during the summer while post-storm cleanup happened, the barrels had something unique about them that the rest of the EH Taylor line didn’t (or that they wouldn’t have had if not for the tornado). Whether this was true or not is up for debate - but the bottles became collectors’ trophies, fetching thousands on secondary and auction sites. The EH Taylor lineup would later include one-offs of Amaranth (Grain of the Gods), Cured Oak, Seasoned Oak, 18-Year Marriage, and more, but none would surpass the “Tornado Survivor” release.
Here’s the thing that everyone needs to get through their head: even if all of that marketing were 100% true for the “Tornado Survivor” release, that has nothing to do with this one.
This release is, again, a 10-year-old bottled-in-bond bourbon aged in Col. Taylor’s favorite warehouse and taken from floors 2 and 5 of that warehouse. It’s good, even great. If it were from Warehouse D or T or A, nobody would care - it would be another regular small batch of EH Taylor. But slap Warehouse C on there and everyone immediately thinks “oh, this must be Tornado Survivor Batch 2”.
It’s not the bourbon’s fault. But it is your fault if you pay more than reasonable markup for a bottle or pour. Speaking of which, thank you to Rob and BLVD Wine Bar and Kitchen for allowing me exactly that - a reasonably priced pour and a consistently great selection.
E. H. Taylor Warehouse C Bourbon (2021): Specs
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Mashbill: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace Bourbon Mashbill #1 (Low Rye)
Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
Age: 10 Years Old
Location: Kentucky
E. H. Taylor Warehouse C Bourbon (2021) Price: $69 (MSRP)
E. H. Taylor Warehouse C Bourbon (2021) Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Fossilized amber.
Nose: Unsweetened cornbread with some black pepper. Surprisingly savory. No hint of proof. Pretzel crusts - the hard, sourdough ones with flecks of salt. Asian pears and stewed fruit.
Palate: More like a rye than a bourbon at first taste. Solid proof that I’d put closer to 110º if I were tasting blind, bready with a bit of roasted corn. A little bitter, too. Mouthfeel is surprisingly thin, but carries the classic EH Taylor flavors. Not sure if there’s anything unique here that I’m just missing…the fruitiness does grow along with the pepper with more sips.
Finish: Medium-length, turning slightly creamy like a not-yet-set panna cotta. Peppery and oaky to the end.
Overall: The fruity edge towards the end adds a pleasant complexity. This gets better as I sip, with a growing mouthfeel and flavor profile. At first, I would’ve put this at a 6.8, but it continued to get better with air and will end up with a 7.4.
Final Rating: 7.4
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Old Label Batch 4 or 2, Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (Stagg Jr. Batch 10, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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