Old Taylor

History

Edmund H. Taylor Jr., born in 1832 in Columbia, Kentucky, was a grand nephew of President Zachary Taylor. Over his career, he bought or launched seven distilleries, with the O.F.C. and Carlisle operations—precursors to today's Buffalo Trace Distillery—being his most successful. He acquired the O.F.C. distillery in 1870 and ran it for eight years. Taylor is credited with pushing for the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act, which offered tax breaks and a government quality seal to participating distillers.

He moved in the same circles as whiskey figures like Dr. James C. Crow, Oscar Pepper, and the McBrayers. The Old Taylor Distillery in Woodford County was built to look like a medieval castle with estate-like landscaping, drawing visitors who got free tenth-pint samples. By 1972, that castle distillery sat abandoned and decaying for over four decades, with some barrel-house materials salvaged. Renovations began in 2015, and it reopened in 2016 as Castle & Key, a separate operation from the current Old Taylor brand owners.

In the late 1940s, Old Taylor was marketed with the tagline "Sign of a good host." Taylor also held the honorary title of Kentucky Colonel, a non-military designation used largely for promotion, similar to KFC's Colonel Sanders.

Did You Know?

• Edmund H. Taylor Jr. was a grand nephew of U.S. President Zachary Taylor.
• By 1972, the historic castle distillery had been abandoned and remained in deteriorating condition for more than 40 years.
• On June 24, 2009, Buffalo Trace Distillery purchased the Old Taylor Bourbon label and barrel inventory from Beam Global Spirits & Wine.