Taylor's well-constructed 111 not out was the backbone of New Zealand's 331-5 after they lost the toss and were put in to bat on the first day of their one-off test against Zimbabwe.
The last time Taylor passed three figures was when he plundered 138 from 104 balls against Australia in Hamilton on March 28, 2010.
McLean Park is a venue Taylor has played at many times before for the national side and Central Districts and he brought up his sixth test ton with a straight drive for four in the 85th over of the day.
The century was his fifth in New Zealand and second in Napier after he blazed 151 against India in 2009 and the 27-year-old said it was nice to turn a 50 in to three figures.
Coming in to the match Taylor's conversion rate was beginning to look shaky with only five centuries and 15 fifties to his name at test level.
"Every captain wants to lead from the front and myself personally I want to score hundreds and I've scored a lot of fifties and my conversion rate hasn't been great so that was extremely special to go on and covert that,'' Taylor said.
"But there's still a long way to go in this test match and still a long way to go in my test career to try and convert more of those fifties in to hundreds as well.''
That's fighting talk from New Zealand's swashbuckling No 4 and Taylor said a first innings score of 450-plus was a must for his side.
He will have the support of BJ Watling on day two after the wicketkeeper toiled away for 15 from 50 balls before stumps were called on day one.
"We'll need 450 minimum, I think,'' Taylor said. "It's a pretty fast-scoring outfield but they set some defensive fields so we'll need to see through this new ball early on [this morning] and if we are still batting after lunch then hopefully we are around about that 400-450 mark.''
Zimbabwe bowled well in patches throughout the 90 overs that were played in bright and sunny conditions, but failed to create enough pressure to trouble the New Zealanders.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand openers Brendon McCullum (83) and Martin Guptill (51) laid the foundation for Taylor as the pair added 124 for the first wicket.
McCullum fell victim to the bowling of Kyle Jarvis when he was trapped in front shortly after the tea break and New Zealand suffered a minor wobble when Dean Brownlie found himself back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers.
But with the score at 196-4, Taylor and Daniel Vettori (38) steadied the ship with an 82-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Vettori had to go though, when was smartly stumped by the impressive Tatenda Taibu from the bowling of leg-spinner Graeme Cremer, who bowled too short during the day, particularly in his second spell.
Jarvis, who finished the day with 1-56 from 22 overs, said his side didn't make the most of the pitch conditions early on.
"If you hit your areas there's a bit of purchase there,'' the 22-year-old said.
"Hopefully we can get in tomorrow morning and nip one or two out, get in to the tail and hopefully get them out for under 400-420.''
New Zealand boast a long tail with Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Chris Martin to come, so much will hinge on Taylor and Watling's ability to add to the side's overnight total.
- Daniel Richardson of APNZ
