Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a 12yr product distilled at Heaven Hill and bottled at barrel proof. Recently, theyve moved from no batch codes to including a letter followed by numerals, so this is the second of the new batch system, B517.
The key here is that each note appears with that initial caramel richness and follows this to the long, warm, and satisfying finish with a hint of spice.
As with earlier expressions of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, this is a cask strength release that benefits from a careful hand, exposure to air, and a healthy amount of water at the ready. Give it a try, no question.
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House Review
Nose:
Rich toffee, ethanol, oak and honey. Sweet honey notes with a bit of corn presence. Super sweet on the nose.
Taste:
Medium mouthfeel, pretty significant heat. Clove honey, nice oaky presence with solid caramel. Theres some cocoa, leather and tobacco with some robust pepper. Overall, it feels hotter than previous batches, but not younger.
Finish:
Long, hot. Cherries and vanilla, loads of honey and tobacco, with some faint astringency.
Overall:
This is still a great product, but it feels hotter and a little flatter than previous releases. I have A117 to try and review as well, which I will likely do tonight to compare. Overall, I still think that ECBP is a great product, this batch included, but some nuanced decline may be evident.
Score:
85
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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