Episode 428: Colonel EH Taylor Cured Oak (2026)

Welcome back to Chill Filtered, the podcast where we drink whiskey so you don't have to (but you probably should)!

This week, Cole and Bryan crack into one of the most talked-about allocated returns of the year: the brand-new Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Cured Oak Bourbon (2026 Release) (massive shoutout to Brian Duncan for sharing the bottle!). Before diving into the pour, the guys reflect on the original 2015 release from Episode 36, recap Bryan’s epic weekend bottle share (tasting Booker’s Apple Brandy/Cinnamon Rye, hazmat Barton, and King of Kentucky), talk Dungeon Crawler Carl, and nerd out on predator-prey mathematical models to explain the bourbon boom-and-bust cycle. Plus, huge updates for the Phoenix Meetup—including potentially hosting our Found North barrel pick inside a WWII airplane hangar!

📜 History Deep Dive: The Wood Chemistry of 13-Month Stave Curing

In this week's history segment, Cole breaks down the cooperage science behind Cured Oak:

• 6 Months vs. 13 Months Outdoors: Why standard commercial staves only get 6 months of open-air seasoning, and how leaving white oak staves in the elements for 13 full months triggers rain leaching and fungal enzymatic digestion (laccases and peroxidases) to break down rigid wood lignins into sweet aromatic aldehydes like vanillin.

• The Age Statement Pivot: Comparing the 2015 original (17-year age statement) to the 2026 release (10-year age statement), and whether pulling the barrels at 10 years prevented the cured staves from over-extracting into dry wood tannins.

📰 Whiskey World News

• Pōkeno x Lord of the Rings 25th Anniversary Whisky: New Zealand distillery Pōkeno teams up with the Tolkien Estate to release an official 25th-anniversary single malt finished in first-fill bourbon, virgin oak, Muscat wine, and native Manuka honey casks.

• Parker’s Heritage Collection 20th Edition (2026): Heaven Hill unveils a 14-year Kentucky straight bourbon crafted using a "Rye Backset" (stillage from a previous rye run added to a bourbon mash to spike acidity and grain spice without altering mash bill ratios).

• Old Forester Birthday Bourbon & Alpha Industries Distiller's Jacket: The 11-year, 97-proof 2026 release drops alongside a $150+ waxed canvas distiller's jacket, sparking a debate on wearing branded whiskey merch in public.

❓ What Whiskey Would You Choose?

• Helldiver Lottery Recap: 56% of listeners sat out the lottery while 44% took the plunge (shoutout to Miles for scoring a bottle!). Meanwhile, Four Roses Honey blew out Booker’s Cinnamon Rye by more than 2 to 1 in the experimental finish showdown.

• This Week’s Bottle Share Scenario: You’re invited to a bourbon bottle share where you want to bring something unique and impressive from your own shelf without going totally over the top. What are you grabbing?

  • Bryan: Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series High Angel’s Share (Coy Hill).

  • Cole: Single Oak Project (Barrel 80 Redo) for a fun conversation starter, or an open bottle of A. Smith Bowman Straight Rye.

📊 Episode Ratings & Final Verdict

• Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Cured Oak Bourbon (2026 / 10-Year, 100 Proof)

  • Cole's Score: B+ / 9.0 (Prominent oak and cedar notes neat; adding a splash of water transforms the pour, rounding off the bite and bringing forward sweet fruit and rich vanilla that edges out Eagle Rare 10)

  • Bryan's Score: B- (Solid, wood-forward pour with nice spice on the finish, but missing the rich fruit complexity of top-tier Taylor releases)

🔮 Next Week on Chill Filtered

Tune in next week for the Loser's Bracket Face-Off: Jack Daniel's 14-Year (Batch 2) vs. Star Hill Farm (2026)!

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