Review #401 - Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon

Another one of the many brands and bourbons available from the Buffalo Trace distillery - this is a standardized single barrel bourbon called Elmer T. Lee, named for a past master distiller of Buffalo Trace.

Lee started with Buffalo Trace is 1949; in fact, he almost missed his chance - when he showed up to interview, Albert Blanton (distillery president at that time) let him know the distillery wasn't hiring. Lee persisted and would end up working at the distillery, eventually rising to the ranks of plant manager and master distiller. During his time, we would introduce a number of products, including the famous Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon.

This Elmer T. Lee bourbon doesn't given us much information on the label, despite the fact that it's a single barrel. There are a few things we do know, though: it's bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof), it uses a high-rye mashbill, and it commands secondary prices far higher than its reasonable MRSP.

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon

USA - Bourbon

Current Locally Available Price: USD 210 (2024, based on recent auction prices)

Age Statement: NAS

Strength: 45% ABV

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months; bottles at 90%, 80%, and 50% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: A decent amount of oak - soft, rounded, and sweet, with little hints of leather. Mellow fruit like grape juice hides in the back, and there's a savory side, almost a bit of barbecue. With time, the oak takes on a bit of a smoky character.

Palate: A medium-thin mouthfeel, and the first few flavors arrive in tandem: tart cherry, antique furniture wood, soft savory barbecue, and oranges. On a second sip, the cherry takes more of a dark cocktail cherry flavor; cinnamon arrives and the oak gets stronger. In the background, there's strong grape and a hint of cocktail bitters.

Finish: Medium length, with a softer mouthfeel, and it's a mix of sweet and spice: Welch's grape juice and barbecue sauce are balanced by drying oak tannins, tart orange, and cinnamon.

Final Note: The nose on this is nice and mature, showing decent complexity, but the lower bottling strength starts to let this bourbon down when we get to the palate and finish. The viscosity is quite mild, and while there's still some of that classic Buffalo Trace flavor, it's all a bit more simple.

Decent bourbon, but not something we would overpay for; a price in the $40 to $60 range seems fair for this bottle.

Our Average Rating: 6.8 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 4.67

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.