Elijah Craig Barrel Proof [Batch #A117]

Thanks to /u/muaddib99 for sharing a dram of this bourbon.

It’s getting harder and harder to keep track of exactly what’s going on with Elijah Craig. You see, I don’t keep a daily drinker around, as I’m backlogged all the way to 2022 with samples to drink. Also it’s not so easy to get Elijah Craig Barrel Proof at the LCBO, nor is it as inexpensive as others there.

So while sitting down, and being asked what batches I’ve had, I mentioned batch 1 and 6. Then I asked what the last batch was, and someone said something like 11 or 12. So then I said “get your dick out of my soup.”

The repartee continued, and I said “So this is batch 12 or 13 then?” “Oh, no” someone said while pulling up their pants, “it’s batch A117”, like I was suppose to understand that.

So if you’re like me, here’s the issue: The first letter is the year’s releases it is, the second digit is the month of the year the bottle was released, and the third and fourth digits are the year.

Thus you’re thinking: Why was he having soup while discussing whiskey? I’ll get to that another time.

So A117 is the first batch of the year, released in January of 2017.

So let’s see how the new look and new system has done to the real part that matters: Where my soup was from… I mean, the whiskey.

Price: $149.95 CAD at the LCBO

Region: Kentucky

Batch: A117

Proof: 127.0

Abv: 63.5%

Colour: 7.5YR 6/10

Nose: Corn, brown sugar, orange, nutty, vanilla

Initial nose of corn. I know, you’re shocked. It’s almost like it’s made of mostly corn.

Sweet brown sugar, vanilla, and citrus to balance it. Nothing too crazy going on. The more water, the more vanilla pops out.

Taste: Melon, caramel, butter, cotton candy, apple

Fruit, more caramel, and some butter from that. It’s lighter, less hot than I expected.

Given time, water, and perhaps the kind of contemplation that leads one to madness (or inebriation, they are opposites), we have some sweeter, light notes, and apples.

Finish: Burn, caramel, carrot, radish, cucumber, grass

Hot. Very hot. Time calms it down, though not enough.

Water brings out a bunch of earth, like it’s that day of the year in Spring when the manure shows up. Something great could come from it, however I think they pulled this one too soon, as the amount of sugar isn’t balancing it.

Conclusion: If this were less expensive in my province, I could see it as a daily drinker. It’s not watered down too much to lose the interesting parts, yet not old or complex enough to be saved for special occasions.

The nose is a standard bourbon nose. Nothing to write home about. The taste has some interesting aspects that tease at why this is interesting, and then the finish is all heat and earth. More complexity is needed on the finish, though if earth flavours are your thing, you may disagree with me on that. Or have more patience for it.

Suffice to say, I enjoyed the last two batches I had, and I hope this is just an off batch for the company.

76/100

Bourbon review #217, Kentucky review #136, Whiskey Network review #1403