Bourbon

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon

$200

OVERALL
RATING

8

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.
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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.

This review was originally published in September 2015, and updated in December 2024. The reviewers ‘Thoughts & Verdict’ have not been altered.

Credit: Buffalo Trace

When Was Elmer T. Lee Bourbon First Released?

Elmer T. Lee Bourbon was initially released in 1984, not long after Elmer had debuted Blanton’s Single Barrel. Today, the expression is released sporadically to great demand, and sells out very quickly.

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The Problem With Price

As with many releases from Buffalo Trace Distillery, the manufacturer suggests pricing this bourbon at an accessible price point, in this case around $30-$40. However, if you can grab yourself a bottle of this for $30, I salute you. Due to its limited availability and extreme popularity, the bourbon sells for a much higher price on the secondary market, with prices varying between $100 and £350 depending on the retailer. Most commonly, you can grab a bottle for around $200. It has earned the nickname, “the best $30 bourbon that $250 can buy.”

What Is The Mash Bill Of Elmer T. Lee Bourbon?

Elmer T. Lee Bourbon is produced using Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2. This mash bill is a high-rye bourbon mash bill which also features in other expressions such as Ancient Age and Blanton’s. Bourbon made from a high-rye mash bill typically boasts spicy and earthy notes such as cinnamon, clove, and tobacco.

How Old Is The Bourbon?

The bourbon is no-age-statement. However, it is rumored that the whiskey is between 9 and 14 years old.

About Elmer T. Lee

Elmer T. Lee sampling a single barrel bourbon. Credit: Buffalo Trace

Elmer T. Lee was a distinguished figure in the bourbon industry, renowned for his innovative contributions at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Born in 1919 near Peaks Mill, Kentucky, he served as a radar bombardier in World War II before earning an engineering degree from the University of Kentucky. In 1949, Lee began his career at the George T. Stagg Distillery (now Buffalo Trace) as a maintenance engineer. He rose through the ranks to become plant superintendent in 1966 and plant manager in 1969.

In 1984, Lee introduced Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon, the world’s first single-barrel bourbon, revolutionizing the industry. After retiring in 1985, he continued to serve as Master Distiller Emeritus, receiving numerous accolades, including induction into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2001.

Elmer T. Lee passed away in 2013 at the age of 93, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of bourbon.

Thoughts & Verdict

Part of the fun of turning 51 (as I did this month) is learning it’s not so bad to admit one’s ignorance. Age teaches us it’s wise to accept that no one knows everything, so why not just laugh about and dig into that which we have yet to learn?

Many years ago, before bourbon became my favorite spirit, I heard the name Elmer T. Lee tossed about in spirits discussions. Back then, the only Elmer I could think of off the top of my head was the cartoon buffoon, Elmer Fudd. And I have to admit that, as a Kentuckian, Elmer has a distinct hillbilly ring to it, so I let loose the notion of wanting to try it anytime soon.

But much as Elmer Fudd constantly pestered Bugs Bunny, this Elmer kept working its way into conversations I had with serious bourbon drinkers. And not until a neighbor—who I discovered was a closet whiskey collector—told me that he had five cases of Elmer T. Lee in his basement did I become truly curious. Bargain buyers routinely keep a case of rot gut stashed in their basements for convenience’s sake, but for this man, also a collector of prized and antique glass sculpture, to have five cases of what then was $35 a bottle whiskey, meant something.

I tried it, but didn’t like it.

I loved it.

And as my neighbor poured me more, I kicked myself for assuming Mr. Lee was the marketing moniker for a brand of “hick likker,” not the legendary master distiller at Buffalo Trace Distillery, and the creator of Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon.

On my desk as I write this is a 2015 release of his namesake bourbon, a 90-proof sour mash beauty that, even at for the $43 I paid for it (tax included and purchased in Kentucky), tastes underpriced compared to its competition.

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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