Buffalo Trace vs E.H. Taylor Small Batch: Which Wins?

Discover the differences between Buffalo Trace vs E.H. Taylor Small Batch in this in-depth comparison and decide which Bourbon is better for You!

Buffalo Trace

Nose	Caramel, cinnamon, baking spice, cereal
Palate	Caramel, vanilla, oak, espresso coffee, chocolate
Finish	Vanilla, baking spice, oak
Alcohol content	90 proof (45% ABV)
How to drink	Neat, rocks
Similar to	Knob Creek, Blanton’s, Elijah Craig

Buffalo Trace is one of the best-selling bourbons for two good reasons: it has an unchallenging taste and offers good value for the money, hence its popularity.

On the nose the Buffalo Trace is subtle, with hints of caramel, vanilla and a touch of baking spice. 

Taste hits the spice a little harder, displaying oak and fruit and the underlying sweetness is still there, a little caramel and vanilla goes a long way. 

Mouthfeel is soft and approachable, light on the heat with no burn.

The finish has a moderate length, is rich in vanilla and baking spice, although flavors don’t sit on the tongue for long but leave a refreshing sensation on the mouth.

The Buffalo Trace is a well-rounded bourbon, making a nice easy sipper with a medium to full body, soft with a chewy feel, fruity and oaky with a medium spicy finish.

Neither intense nor earth-shattering, yet delivers a pleasant and satisfying experience.

Buffalo Trace is the type of bourbon that you can drink everyday without getting bored, although not my favorite to make cocktails as I feel it lacks the punch to deliver a tasty cocktail.

There are a few facts worth knowing about Buffalo Trace:

• Buffalo Trace uses a unique aging process of 8 years in which the barrels are stored in the middle floors of the warehouse where temperature fluctuations are the greatest.

• According to Buffalo Trace who has been using the same recipe and methods for the last 200+ years these variations get reflected in the bourbon creating deeper flavors.

• 40 barrels at a time are chosen to create one single, small batch of Buffalo Trace.

• Double Gold North American Bourbon & Whiskey Competition 2019.

• Gold San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2018.

E.H. Taylor Small Batch

Nose	Cherry, tobacco, chocolate, cinnamon, caramel
Palate	Vanilla, caramel, spice, oak
Finish	Charred oak, black pepper, vanilla, cherry
Alcohol content	100 proof (50% ABV)
How to drink	Add water
Similar to	E.H. Taylor Single Barrel, Eagle Rare

The nose is rich and inviting, heavy on cherry, chocolate and tobacco followed by a subtle ethanol hit.

The color is light red, almost pink making it look unique.

On the palate you get a thick oily texture, a bit of heat and bitterness at first, that swiftly moves into sweet vanilla and fruity notes with a whiff of spice and oak.

The finish is the shining moment of the E.H. Taylor, it starts with charred oak and black pepper to evolve into lingering vanilla and cherry at a medium-length, along pleasing warmth making it entirely satisfying.

After tasting the E.H. Taylor Small Batch I get why is it so popular and hard to find: because is gooood!

This is like a slightly hotter and cheaper Blanton’s, layered, complex, with predominant sweetness mingling with spice and oak.

If you have tried the Buffalo Trace you will find many of its tasting notes in the E.H. Taylor just that turned all the way up making it immensely better!

There are a few facts worth knowing about the E.H. Taylor Small Batch:

• Made from a blend of 7 year old barrels hallowed from the sixth floor of Warehouse C. This warehouse was constructed by Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr in 1881.

• E.H. Taylor is bottled in bond, which means that the bourbon was distilled in one season and bottled at least 100 proof.

• Each bottle is packaged in a canister reminiscent of the bottles Taylor used over one hundred years ago.

• E.H. Taylor is considered one of the founding fathers of bourbon.

What do Buffalo Trace and E.H. Taylor have in common?

Made at the same distillery using the same mash

Buffalo Trace and E.H. Taylor are crafted at the Buffalo Trace Distillery using the same mash as the Eagle Rare, E.H. Taylor and the super basic Benchmark Bourbon.

They are also aged for approximately the same length.

Are Buffalo Trace and E.H. Taylor the same bourbon?

Proof and barrel management makes them different

E.H. Taylor is bottled in bond, meaning it is offered at 100 proof while the Buffalo Trace comes at a mere 90 proof.

Price Comparison

Prices are approximate and stated in USD:

Whiskey	Price
Buffalo Trace	$35
E.H. Taylor Small Batch	$80

Buffalo Trace vs E.H. Taylor Small Batch: Which is better?

E.H. Taylor is a step-up over the Buffalo Trace

• The E.H. Taylor Small Batch has many of the tasting notes of the Buffalo Trace just that turned all the way up making it better as it has more body and flavor.

• But is it better enough justify the huge price differential??? That’s a tricky question, with no right answer, but if I had to choose I’d stay with the Buffalo Trace and pocket the difference.

• It can’t be denied that the EHT is better, but not better enough to pay more than twice as much.

• But if you ask me for the E.H. Taylor Single Barrel then that’s a different story as it is remarkably better than the Small Batch and well worth the upcharge.