(E)-Isomers of coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols were readily and cleanly prepared in excellent yields from commercially available coniferaldehyde and sinapaldehyde by sodium triacetoxyborohydride reduction in ethyl acetate. No 1,4-reduction products, always produced in prior methods, could be detected. Keywords: Coniferyl alcohol; sinapyl alcohol; monolignol; lignin; triacetoxyborohydride; dihydroconiferyl alcohol; coniferaldehyde; sinapaldehyde; regiospecific reduction