Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch A122

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof: B520 compared to A122 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (ECBP) is a personal favorite bourbon. Heaven Hill, the distillery behind Elijah Craig, releases ECBP three times annually (January, May, September), marked by a four-character code: January is "A1" (A for the first release; 1 for January); May is "B2" (B for the second release; 5 for May); and September is "C3" (C for the third release; 9 for September). The last two digits represent the year. Therefore, "B520" is the second release, from May, in 2020. All ECBP bottles have a 12-year age statement, with proofs typically ranging from about 120 to nearly 140. Drinker beware. I randomly selected B520 and A122 because I have both open (I possess most, if not all, releases from the past four years or so). B520: Exhibits a clear orange mahogany color. The nose is potent, with noticeable ethanol (as expected for barrel-proof bourbon), almost struggling to be detected amidst an explosion of scents: malted milk balls, fresh hay, maple syrup, creosote-soaked railroad ties, split oak, sweet pipe tobacco, and vanilla. (Note: After smelling A122, a distinct toasted marshmallow note is present). The mouthfeel is intense and driven by heat, with flavors of sweet café Cubano, leather, cigar tobacco, and cinnamon. Faint woody tannins and a hint of vanilla are present in the medium-length finish. A122: Displays a clear orange mahogany color, indistinguishable from B520. The nose is different: ethanol is less pronounced (120.8 proof compared to B520's 127.2); it's grassier rather than hay-like; hints of coconut; chocolate-covered cherries; sweet pipe tobacco and toasted marshmallow, similar to B520; and pomander and red hots. The palate is woodier and leathery, with a pleasantly expected heat, leading to a finish with lingering notes of coconut and vanilla. Different release years, months, and proofs: the consistent (though slightly varied) quality and sheer enjoyment these bottles provide explain why I acquire every ECBP release, regardless of whether I've tasted it before. Bourbon enthusiasts can rely on a good pour from any release. And at a retail price of $70-80, ECBP offers exceptional value in today's increasingly volatile bourbon market. Note: All spirits were tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

They can't all be winners, right? Nose - strong aged vanilla, young oak, and a light mix of cherry, cola, and possibly others; others have said it, but I can get the Dr. Pepper vibe. The nose is really good, it's not quite top-tier ECBP, but it's nice. Softer and lighter without some of my preferred dark notes or heavy chocolates. Taste - Earthy for an ECBP, straw and hay with a lot of barnyard character for an ECBP. Overall still has the heavy sweet notes we expect in what I'll call a lighter, more fruity ECBP (classic among the A series). Good caramel elements. And the oak is acceptable with time. Still some sour notes and just overly astringent characteristics come through. After possibly being the worst neck pour ever of an ECBP, it really opened up even just a day later. This is good. It's still, however, not a winner. Then again, it's more ECBP than the much-disliked B521 (it was off profile). This just comes across as a bit younger than the best ECBP, but after initially being ready to completely TRASH this one, and I drank a BIT too much of it the first night, it helped to open it up, but I guess I wasted some pretty decent bourbon. Anyway, I see my ECBP scores are all over the place; it's a tough one to score fairly. I'm giving it a 2.75. This is a good CS bourbon, but it lacks what you expect from a 12-year-old ECBP. Still in line with some other less impressive ones. I need to adjust some historical scores, I think.

Nose is initially full of ethanol. Fully aware that this is a 125 proof product but lots of other ECBP of the same proof or more didn’t have anywhere near this much. After the ethanol fades we find bakers chocolate, toffee, cola, nutmeg, pepper, peanut, flan, sawdust, and sweet-smelling oak. Palate is of course very bold and has dark fruits (black cherry, plum), raisin, fig, vanilla custard, date, allspice, leather, and caramel. Rich. The bourbon equivalent of a Christmas fruit cake. Finish is more or less eternal with cocoa nibs, tea leaf, ice cream sundae, cinnamon, pink peppercorn, apple crisps, and well-integrated oak. Mouthfeel is full and viscous to the point of being “sticky”; a real plus. Shortcomings in the nose made up for in the palate and finish. This is much fruitier than any ECBP I’ve had and it really worked for me. This remains one of the best values in bourbon. At retail of $80, any ECBP release is always an auto buy, full stop. I know these may not be what they used to be, but still damn good.

Nose: Sticky caramel, tart green apple, and barrel spice, with an underlying dry herbal scent like rosemary or thyme. Palate: Starts with tart, crisp green apple and barrel spice (nutmeg, cloves). Moves to an undercooked yeast roll with butter and caramel candy, then black and red pepper flakes. Finish: Begins astringent, like apple skin, with dry, dusty oak, cayenne, and cinnamon. It's long and pleasant, leaving a tingle on the tongue, throat, and chest. Faint notes of chewy dried apple chips. Initial bitterness fades with air. This is how it should be. Fortunate to have acquired a bottle. A must-buy at suggested retail price. 88/100

⌚: Allowed to rest for approximately 5 minutes. 👀: Deep, dark mahogany hue with hints of copper and perhaps ochre, displaying reddish Mars-like tones intermittently; 👃: Intense notes of woody oak, freshly picked cherries, and enough ethanol to sting the nostrils, detecting some sweet notes (perhaps mint? Or maybe Ghirardelli 72% Dark Chocolate), finishing with a hint of bubble gum; 👅: Very mild and subtle corn undertones reminiscent of fresh popcorn, virtually no heat, hints of freshly baked sourdough bread present, concluding with candy corn and Andes Mints (definitely captured that chocolate/mint combination); 🏁: This is a beautiful finish; the taste doesn't linger, though I do detect a sensation similar to biting into a cherry with those tannins. This is wonderful! Absolutely no burn. You could enjoy this for hours without experiencing the ethanol burn found in other spirits at a comparable ABV. That candy and Andes reference is spot on! Pure enjoyment!

This serving followed a pour of 1792 Full Proof. Despite similar proofs, this one drinks much smoother than the 1792. It exhibits typical Elijah Craig Barrel Proof characteristics. Nothing particularly stands out, either positively or negatively. I find the aroma more appealing than the palate and finish. It's quite spicy on the finish, especially in the throat, which isn't entirely pleasant, but a nice warming sensation and lingering spice help to balance it. It's not a bad expression, but it's not my favorite Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Over time, I've observed that the "A" releases for both Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and Larceny tend to be the weakest each year. I'm unsure if this pattern continues, but it has been the case for the past few years, so if you're looking to avoid certain releases, the "A" expressions are typically the least impressive.