There tends to be a lot of resistance to tapering in these forums; I'm of the view that it beats dying of DTs.
That said, benzos are a better path, as it seems you realize.
When I've tapered it's been when I've gotten sicker as the day goes on, instead of feeling better as you do with a simple hangover. The only cure is a bit of alcohol. Typically, when this happens, I've reached the stage where it's hard to hold liquor down so it's not hard to stop at a small amount. I've never followed a schedule of any kind.