Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A123
This is a bottle I’ve been waiting to review for a while… actually I’ve been waiting to review any ECBP because I haven’t wanted to jump the gun on what has become my favorite available bottle. I’ve been waiting because I wanted to get a feel for the lineup after a hiatus from serious tasting while I invested time in professional training and not the really critical stuff like reviewing whiskey. EC18 from the old label is my favorite bottle of all time (obtained for $55 from K&L for my bachelor party) and the old label 12yr BP was the featured bourbon at my wedding so you have to consider that I may be biased but i sincerely have tried to minimize that chance… I’ll try to get A122-B523 up in the next weeks! Anyway, here’s the bottle:
**Nose:** heat, cherry liquor, old oak, Douglas Fir bark (if you know you know), and vanilla extract. Quick but pleasant. Doesn’t overwhelm me with anything but blends a lot of things I like.
**Palate:** (10m rest) at full proof it starts out hot and just sits there for a minute – warm and alcoholic: not quite declaring itself. Then it opens up on a surprisingly smooth clean oak and marzipan flavor. Spice, woodshop smells, and blanched almonds back it up. There’s maple and vanilla but they’re subtle afterthoughts. The oak is just really balanced. The viscosity and mouthfeel are buttery and delicious.
After a 30m rest: the vanilla and maple notes pop more within the balanced structure of the whiskey. There more oak and a hint of flamed-orange peel in there too.
With 2cc H2O in 30cc bourbon at 30m (look I’m trying to be comprehensive here): everything is compatible but I separate out the flavors a bit more. There’s a definite honey backbone that wasn’t there before I added the water. Paradoxically the viscosity is ¿thicker? than undiluted. I think I’ll be drinking this we 5 drops of water moving forward but will report back.
**Finish:** the finish is good but pretty hot. It dies out with a ton of hazelnut and almond-meal and oak. I can honestly say that I still notice it in my mouth 5m later (timer and everything) after a total of 2oz (60cc) over the course 3hrs. Maybe I’ve burnt out my palate… the combo of fading heat, evolving spice, and nuttiness is really nice. Nothing wild – in the world of boutique finishes and blended juice – but so solid and quintessentially bourbon.
**Overall: 7.5/10**
Nothing to conclude with besides a thanks for reading. I love this bottle. It’s not my favorite ECBP but I’ll get to that eventually…
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
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