Elmer T. Lee

Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Written by Brian Donnelly, CSS, WSET III

Who was Elmer T. Lee?

Elmer T. Lee is famous for being the long time Master Distiller for the George T. Stagg Distillery, now known as the Buffalo Trace Distillery. He is perhaps most famous for his invention of the commercially available single barrel bourbon category, with the creation of the product Blanton’s. Originally from Kentucky, Lee served in the Second World War as a Radar Bombardier. After the war, he returned to his native state and attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned a degree in Engineering. After college, he interviewed with Colonel Albert B. Blanton, the distillery’s President, for a position as a maintenance engineer. Blanton initially turned down Lee for the job, but soon changed his mind, and Lee began working at the distillery the following week.

Lee quickly rose from a Maintenance Engineer to the Plant Engineer, and eventually to Plant Superintendent. He was promoted once more to Plant Manager, and finally to Master Distiller. During his role as Master Distiller, Lee guided the distillery, and it’s brands through much growth and modernization. He retired in 1985, but still worked as a brand ambassador for the distillery. He was eventually inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2001. Elmer T. Lee passed away in 2013, leaving behind a long-lasting legacy that laid the foundation for the creativity and innovation that can be found in the modern Bourbon industry.

For more information about the history of the Buffalo Trace Distillery, click here.

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Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon

Elmer T. Lee Bourbon is produced with Buffalo Trace’s high-rye bourbon mash bill, known as Mash Bill #2. In addition to the mash bill, this expression is also a single barrel bourbon, similar to Blanton’s. Unlike Blanton’s, this expression is only 90 proof (45% ABV) but is considered by fans and enthusiasts to be aged several more years than Blanton’s. According to Buffalo Trace, this product is “hand-selected and bottled to the taste and standards of Elmer T. Lee himself.” Elmer T. Lee is a highly allocated bourbon. It is one of many prized expressions produced by the Buffalo Trace Distillery, which is heavily sought after by bourbon hunters, connoisseurs, and collectors.

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