Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch A121

Rating: 22/23 From the bottle's neck. My first impression of Elijah Craig B520 wasn't great right away, but it was incredible after a few months. I enjoyed the B520, but only after it had aged a couple of months. I heard the B520 was generally considered amazing, whereas this... I've heard nothing about it. Let's find out. Nose: Intense, aged wood with cocoa and leather. And of course, some spices. A truly wonderful, rich nose. It doesn't have the intensity of Garrison Brothers Cowboy, but it's approaching that level. Sweet with a touch of tartness. I detect a little alcohol, but it's not problematic. Some subtle minerals, but they don't detract from or diminish the other components. Digging deeper, I detect a nutty quality like coconut and some vanilla. How did I overlook the vanilla earlier? Palate: Less rich and full than the nose indicated. Spice leads into strong woodiness with a milk chocolate undertone. It's a pleasant profile, though it doesn't astound me. It's not as intense as I anticipated at nearly 62% ABV. I can discern more subtle notes from the woody spices. The most prominent flavor is, unexpectedly, allspice. There are enjoyable cinnamon, ginger, and clove notes present. I only get a faint hint of black pepper. While I appreciate black pepper, many spicy whiskeys taste primarily of black pepper simply because it's the only spice a young, harsh whiskey can express. This demonstrates its elegance and maturity through its spice profile. The mature wood with a hint of chocolate is always noticeable. Somewhat fudge-like. This is quite sweet. I also detect a rich layer of vanilla. A touch of minerality accompanies it, slightly diminishing the rich, full profile. Finish: Vanilla, mineral, wood, spices, chocolate. I wish the minerality was less pronounced and the chocolate was more dominant. Or perhaps more complex wood notes. Still, it's a very good finish. - Conclusion - I believe I prefer this slightly more than my initial impression of Elijah Craig B520 (22/23), but it's not as excellent as the B520 at its peak of near perfection. This lacks the herbal complexity that elevates the wood in the B520. However, the spices are more subdued and rich in this one, which is likely why it performs better straight from the bottle. This is actually a bit richer, giving me some vibes similar to Garrison Brothers Balmorhea 2021 (17/23). That said, this is already better than the Balmorhea. The Balmorhea is certainly fuller, but this is better crafted, with more depth and none of that over-steeped tea flavor. This is more of a very rich yet classic bourbon. I just need a moment to consider how easy this is to drink. It's truly remarkable at this proof. So smooth and rich. I'm confident this is at least a 19, though I'd be reluctant to rate it a 22. Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 (18-19/23) competes with this in richness, but leans more towards fruity notes. The Wild Turkey displays more alcohol flavor and has a spicier burn. Between the two, this is the clear victor. How does it compare to Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof (21/23)? It's a heavyweight in terms of fullness and richness. The Jack Daniel's is spicier and burns more than this. I don't think this quite reaches the same level of richness, but it's more nuanced and smooth. That places this very close to the Jack Daniel's. I'm quite surprised. I had already decided this was at least a 20, but to be now considering it a 21 from the neck pour is astonishing. I'm really hopeful this will evolve into something even more exceptional than the B520 over the next few months! As a final summary of this tasting session, I revisited the Jack Daniels side-by-side with this, and it was immediately obvious that this was the winner. The fudge, refined wood, and smoothness here, combined with the immense fullness, make this an outstanding dram. I doubted my earlier decision to give this a 21, but I think it's deserved. I'm now considering giving it a 22, which is mind-blowing. I wish I had purchased more when I had the opportunity. Ugh! Elijah Craig A120 is insignificant compared to this. At one point, I thought they were comparable in quality, but it's now clear to me that this is vastly superior. I'm not quite ready to call it a 23, but it's definitely a 21 or 22. Considering the rich flavors and smoothness here, I believe it has earned a 22. What an incredible dram. There's significant variation among Elijah Craig Barrel Proof releases, but there are enough successful ones that I'll continue looking for them. How does this ultimately hold up against the B520? It's difficult to say, but I might be leaning slightly towards this one. That chocolate is simply divine. I'm very hopeful that a few months with the bottle opened will improve this even further.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF SHOWDOWN: 2021 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B521 I'm continuing to go through the whiskies in my collection that I haven't reviewed yet. I have several years and releases of ECBP; however, my only complete year for all three releases is 2017. For 2021, I was never able to find C921, so this comparison will be between A121 and B521. I've examined seven years of community ranking data for each triannual rating of ECBP, averaging the 21 averages to establish a community mean for the seven-year period from 2017-2023. This will allow us to determine how a particular release is perceived by the group in relation to the overall average (mean). Because I cannot aggregate all ratings for each specific release, I am unable to establish a standard deviation for a particular release. However, I can compute the z-score for each specific release relative to the entire sample. The z-score is calculated as: ((mean for the specific release minus the mean for the entire sample) divided by the overall sample’s standard deviation). This metric quantifies how much better or worse a particular release is compared to the community’s ranking of all ECBP over the sample period. Assuming a normal distribution, any z-score within +/- 1.0 standard deviation is considered within "normal" limits (approximately 68% of the distribution falls within +/- 1 standard deviation from the mean). A z-score of +/- 2 standard deviations would represent approximately 95% of the distribution; and +/- 3 represents approximately 99% of the distribution. Therefore, a z-score of +1.5 would indicate a significantly better release than average (and -1.5 would indicate significantly worse). A z-score of 2.0 would mean it's better than 95% of the sample, etc. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 The A121 appears as a deep, dark amber color. The strong nose shows toasted oak, peanut brittle (this became apparent after comparing the two), cherries, pomander (dried orange and clove components), some corn pudding, vanilla, and a hint of anise at the end. The palate is wonderfully sweet and the alcohol is quickly noticeable on the back end, bringing some spice. Notes of charred oak, a slight tannic bitterness, and pleasant vanilla are present on the finish. Full disclosure: I am a huge fan of ECBP, and I'm not the only one. Where else can you find rich, bold flavors at around 125 proof for $75? Larceny Barrel Proof (another Heaven Hill product) is comparable (it's actually a bit cheaper). Elijah Craig Barrel Proof has no rivals in this category. Would I buy it again? Yes. Over the course of half an hour, the A121 continuously improved. It's incredible. It received a 4.5 on the community scale. My rating: 4.5 Community: mean=4.24, z=-0.16, n=239 (slightly worse than all ECBPs) 123.6 proof. 12-year age statement. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B521 Similar to the A121, the B521 is a clear version of the same color. The nose exhibits crème brûlée, toasted oak, clove, apple cider, and a slightly dusty element. The palate is sweeter than the nose, with chocolate-covered cherries. I even detected a hint of pineapple, along with some coconut: it's not quite a piña colada, but coconut notes are not uncommon from oak. The alcohol seems slightly better integrated (it is 4.6 proof points lower than the A121), but the spice is still present. Roasted marshmallow, a touch of oak, and a long finish of vanilla are noted. This might sound repetitive: complex nose, rich and robust flavors, barrel-proof strength, and $75. Would I buy it again? Yes. Every single time. It received a 4.5 on the community scale. My rating: 4.5 Community: mean=4.15, z=-0.81, n=190 (moderately worse than all ECBPs) 118.2 proof. 12-year age statement. Both of these ECBP releases undeniably possess bourbon profiles with full intensity. They aren't flawless examples—my benchmarks are the 2019 William Larue Weller and George T. Stagg for higher proofs—and they fall short of the smoothness and the warm, comforting, even calming experiences those bourbons provide. While I've listed some distinct descriptors—which are subjective and often overlap and are not explicitly unique—the two releases are more alike than different, and consistent with typical ECBP offerings. I rate them higher than the community. How many bourbons are significantly better? Not many. I will happily enjoy these neat: like all ECBP releases, they offer both sensory indulgence and intellectual satisfaction. Note: All spirits were tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

The aroma is robust and rich, beginning with banana fritters dusted with powdered sugar, deep maple syrup, sautéed cherries, and aged leather. It continues with dark chocolate fudge and toasted hazelnuts, followed by freshly lit pipe tobacco. Notes of apple pie filling, raspberry jam, and mandarin oranges emerge, complemented by ginger, spearmint, anise, cloves, and polished mahogany, all with a potent ethanol sting. The palate offers a medium to full texture, starting with caramelized bananas, sautéed cherries, vanilla crème brûlée, and aged leather. A moderate bitter and sour spice quickly subsides into spicy dark chocolate mocha and freshly lit pipe tobacco. Apple pie filling, raspberry jam, and mandarin oranges reappear, alongside ginger, spearmint, anise, black pepper, cloves, and polished mahogany, all with a strong ethanol burn. The finish is lengthy, featuring spicy mocha, maraschino cherries, banana fritters, toasted marshmallow, anise, cloves, spearmint, leather, and polished mahogany. Damn, this is the best of the batch encountered thus far! All the classic bourbon flavors are more concentrated and intense compared to other similar offerings, and when compared to the previous top performer, this one is more robust and better balanced, with a prolonged finish that lingers with subtle spice, creamy citrus, and well-matured oak. Many thanks to a friend for the generous sample.

I’m going to be honest with you. Smelling and tasting this whiskey might drastically alter your existence. I’d get intimate with this spirit and no one would notice. Now, let’s get down to it. Nose: Sweet tea, but elevated; beef teriyaki noodles, but enhanced; Ethiopian coffee, but improved; and a vanilla brown sugar oatmeal pancake, but superior. Taste: Sweet black tea with a hint of mint and a biscuit on the side, but superior. It transforms into a caramel candy square that a brilliant confectioner added a touch of pepper to, but superior. A whiskey that makes someone who previously disliked whiskey enjoy it, but superior (this actually happened). Palate/Finish: If my mouth had this flavor permanently, I could insult people and they’d be grateful. The caramel and pepper remain so strongly, it’s as if letting go would result in their demise. I’m quite fond of this one.

Neat Glencairn Nose: This has an apple pie nose — baked apples, toasted pie crust, cinnamon, cloves and toasted turbinado sugar. Nice and delicate with absolutely no ethanol burn. Palate: The nose carries over 1:1 to the palate - baked apples, toasted pie crust, baking spices and toasted turbinado sugar - but also adds a nice, sweet oak and leather character. Finish: Once again, the nose and palate carry over 1:1 but now I also pick up a light spearmint/menthol characteristic. 87/100 Absolutely no ethanol burn to this dram. This would make an excellent dessert whiskey, but also stands up well for an anytime dram. An instant classic and favorite. Thanks for letting me taste, a friend!

ECBP Bourbon Boulevard Barrel Pick Nose: Very gentle, honeysuckle and brown sugar, white bread, ripe stone fruit, and toast. Nose after swirling: remarkably gentle! Citrus zest, vanilla frosting, those classic bourbon sugars. Palate: Medium-thick texture, THERE'S that ECBP intensity! Toffee sweetness, dark chocolate, tobacco, dark berries, brown sugar, a very slight fruity lightness. Finish: a looooong smooth finish after the alcohol kick. A very slight dryness in the mouth... but not excessively dry, dark (I'm talking 95% cocoa) chocolate and coffee bean notes.