Bourbon

Bourbon Review: Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon

We review Elmer T. Lee Bourbon from Buffalo Trace, finding it to be a quite solid, all around good quality drinking whiskey.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Tasting Notes

About:

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel is a 90 proof Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey named for Elmer T. Lee – Master Distiller Emeritus at Buffalo Trace Distillery
Appearance:
Deep amber
Nose:
Floral, yeasty, fragrant and bready. Mash notes are prominent and dried corn is always evident. Hang with it a spell and you’ll even find cocoa lurking in the background. It’s Eau de Rickhouse in a bottle. Tasting it reveals all the basics of toasted oak, caramel, vanilla, fruity rye and sour mash, followed by bonus licks of pipe tobacco, yeast, fruit, even crème caramel. It treads gingerly on the palate.
Palate:
Tasting it reveals all the basics of toasted oak, caramel, vanilla, fruity rye and sour mash, followed by bonus licks of pipe tobacco, yeast, fruit, even crème caramel. It treads gingerly on the palate.
Finish:
The finish delivers a bit more oak and then disappears without a trace down the gullet. It just drinks cleanly, bereft of a warming burn – which I do like in many cases.
Comments:
I’ve got a fairly broad bourbon collection at home, and much as I wanted to find obvious similarities between those and “ETL,” I couldn’t. This whiskey is its own unique creation, one I bet I could find easily in a blind taste test. And were it not a tad expensive for a daily drinker, I’d select it as my regular grog.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Steve Coomes

Steve Coomes is an award-winning journalist and author with a specialization in whiskey and food. Throughout his extensive 30-year career, he has contributed his expertise to various national trade and consumer publications, including notable names such as USA Today, Southern Living, Delta Sky Magazine, Nation's Restaurant News, Pizza Today, Restaurant Business, Bourbon +, and American Whiskey magazine. His literary accomplishments include the 2013 book "Country Ham: A Southern Tradition of Hogs, Salt & Smoke" and the 2020 publication "The Rebirth of Bourbon: Building a Tourism Economy in Small-Town USA." Beyond his writing pursuits, Steve also shares his passion by leading diverse food and spirits pairing experiences, ranging from large-scale events to intimate gatherings and virtual sessions.

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