E.H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain

The mash bill uses corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley, which is why the expression is called Four Grain. It is made at Buffalo Trace Distillery and combines the sweetness of corn with softer wheat and additional grain spice.

Yes. Four Grain is bottled in bond at 100 proof, or 50 percent alcohol by volume. The bottled-in-bond designation requires production by one distiller at one distillery and aging for at least four years under government supervision.

The well-known Four Grain release was aged for 12 years in charred American oak. Its extended maturation gives the four-grain recipe more oak, caramel, and dried-fruit character than a young bourbon.

The malted barley and wheat add layers beyond the usual corn and rye combination, while rye still contributes spice. Tasting notes commonly include caramel, baking spice, oak, and dried fruit rather than a single dominant grain flavor.