Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B519

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF SHOWDOWN: 2019 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A119 vs. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B519 Continuing to go through whiskies in my collection that I have not yet reviewed. I have several years and releases of ECBP; however, my only complete year for all three releases is 2017. For 2019, I was never able to find C919, so this showdown will compare the A119 to the B519. I have gone through seven years of community ranking data for each triannual rating of ECBP, and averaged the 21 averages themselves to establish a community mean for the seven-year period 2017-2023. This will enable us to quantify what the group thinks about a particular release relative to the overall average (mean). Because I am unable to aggregate all ratings for each specific release, I am unable to establish a standard deviation for a particular release. But I am able to compute the z-score for each particular release relative to the entire sample. The z-score is computed as follows: ((mean for the specific release minus the mean for the entire sample) divided by the overall sample’s standard deviation). This statistic quantifies how much better or worse a particular release is in relation 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 assumed to be within “normal” limits. A z-score of +/- 2 standard deviations would represent ~95% of the distribution; and +/- 3 is ~99% of the distribution. Thus a z-score of +1.5 would be a significantly better release than normal (and -1.5 would be significantly worse). A z-score of 2.0 would be better than 95% of the sample, etc. (End of stats geek stuff). Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A119 Color is a clear russet mahogany, consistent with Pantone 153. Prominent cherries on the nose, orange marmalade, caramel apples, oaky vanilla, and noticeable alcohol. Just the slightest bit of creaminess on the palate, with caramelized sugar and spicy cinnamon with the alcohol kick, finishing with some tobacco, leather, toasted oak, and lots of vanilla on the medium-long finish. For $75-80, the age statement, barrel proof, and consistent good- to-great quality of ECBP makes this bourbon a no-brainer. Unfortunately, they get scarce pretty quickly, and I am typically not able to secure all three releases for any given year—though I definitely try. ECBP always represents a great value. This particular batch is very good: complex, robust, and approaching hazmat proof, which does not overwhelm the depth and richness of flavor. Give me a campfire in the woods on a cool fall evening, and this (and a good woman). My rating: 4.5 Community: m=4.36, z=0.70, n=270 (moderately better than all ECBPs) 135.2 proof. 12-year age statement. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B519 Bourbon-like clear mahogany (Pantone 153) is indistinguishable in color from the A119. Nose begins with a soft cocoa powder followed by fruity cherries, grilled peaches, and strawberry preserves, and a whiff of cool licorice. The palate has a little sweetness, quickly revealing some espresso bitterness, woody tannins, char, roasted marshmallow, and burnt caramel, before fading to vanilla. Tasted after the A119, the B519’s lower proof is evident: this is a kinder, gentler ECBP. “Gentler,” but not “gentle.” It is softer than the A119, but has the gusto to wear the ECBP banner proudly. While the community rates this as slightly below all ECBPs over the past seven years, I would rate it just slightly above, but given the quarter-point increments of the rating system, there is not enough to push it to a 4.5 like the A119. Great value as always. Would I buy it again? Yes. I buy every ECBP release that I see. My rating: 4.25 Community: m=4.23, z=-0.23, n=305 (slightly worse than all ECBPs) 122.2 proof. 12-year age statement. For the most part, comparing ECBPs is like comparing BMWs with Mercedes, or critiquing any luxury car brand and debating the merits of different options. These tasting “Showdowns” are fun to do, and I believe are good exercises for your nose and palate. Finding the good stuff requires wading through a lot of crap. I have waded through a lot of crap already, and am sure that ECBP is among the good stuff. Overall, the A119 is more complex and assertive, whereas the B519 is softer (and still complex). Both are perched near the top of the bourbon world. The A119 appeals a bit more to my palate than the B519, but I will continue to happily drink them both. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Rating: 17/23 Nose: A noticeable alcohol sting is present. A subtle hint of fudge with some spice and restrained wood. Perhaps a whisper of root beer? After a few minutes in the glass, I detect some chili pepper and a slightly unusual vegetal note. The fudge and root beer largely fade, and notes of sour mash emerge. My initial positive impression of the nose has shifted to a negative one. Palate: This certainly burns, but it delivers abundant fudge-like bittersweet chocolate with hints of root beer. Light caramel with sour mash contributes subtle notes of tangerine and orange peel to the palate. While not the most intricate release, it is truly decadent. As the palate evolves, more vegetal hints appear alongside the root beer. The wood and spice notes linger, the latter primarily manifesting as a burning sensation, but also bringing notes of cinnamon and black pepper. Finish: A long-lasting burn. Some light fudge remains, along with a touch of tangerine, a faint hint of yeast, and perhaps a wisp of anise or root beer. - Conclusion - This lacks the nuance and balance of Elijah Craig A120, but it is richer and more decadent. The burn is certainly more pronounced here. As much as I enjoy this, I am quite confident in stating that the A120 is superior. This version is more bitter and has a slightly more pronounced copper character. Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 (rated 18-19/23) is surprisingly a bit richer than this offering, and it's also much funkier, with considerable burn. When tasted alongside this, the Wild Turkey provides notes of tart cherry and cream cheese danish. These two are quite competitive, though I find myself favoring the Wild Turkey slightly. Resilient 15 (rated 18/23) is smoother with better wood maturity and a surprising richness. This offering isn't particularly rich. The two are competitive, but I am leaning towards the Resilient. This is more complex, yet it feels like something is missing. Old Forester 1920 (rated 18/23) presents a very competitive profile. It's less intense and not overly complex, but it offers some quite pleasant banana and spice notes. There's a bit more alcohol bite here, with more of the ethanol bitterness coming through. I would say the two are very close, but I would select the Old Forester if I had to choose. 1792 Full Proof (rated 19/23) is smoother, richer, fuller, and more decadent. It's less intriguing, but better executed overall. I would choose the 1792 over this. On the other hand, I would certainly prefer this over Elijah Craig C920 (rated 15/23). The C920 has excessive burn, and this offers significantly more fudge-like decadence with much less alcohol flavor. Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Cask Strength (rated 15/23) has a surprising level of richness when compared to this. In my opinion, that indicates this isn't as rich as it should be. I believe this falls within the 17 to 18 range. I'm settling on a 17. The fact that nearly everything I compared it against was richer, regardless of their proof levels, strongly suggests that while good, this isn't a truly exceptional release. Resilient 15, in particular, is a moderately rich dram bottled at only 53.5% ABV, yet this was slightly less rich than even it. My rating is 17. Thank you to a friend for this sample!

The nose starts with caramelized bananas, stewed sour cherries and flapjacks cooked in bacon drippings then dark chocolate covered hazelnuts and espresso followed by Granny Smith apple peel, lemon zest and mandarin oranges followed by ginger, spearmint, cloves and polished mahogany with high ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with caramelized bananas, stewed sour cherries and cinnamon sugar dusted donuts then a moderate bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to a spicy mocha and toasted hazelnuts followed by Granny Smith apple peel, sour lemon candy and mandarin orange zest followed by ginger, spearmint, cloves and mildly bitter black tea with high ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with a spicy mocha, orange peel, caramelized bananas, sour cherries, black pepper, burnt caraway seeds and mildly bitter black tea. Overall, I think this is a solid and tasty bourbon that those traditional bourbon flavors are dialed up with that high proof, but the fruits are on the sour side along with a bitter over-brewed black tea note and moderate spice that my palate doesn't particularly care for and takes away from the experience for me. This is the first of my Elijah Craig series and it should be interesting to see how the different batches compare as I make it through them. Thanks a friend for the generous sample.

Elijah Craig is, generally speaking, a 5-star whiskey. This is my opinion after the first two batches I have had. One striking difference with this one is that it sits at 61.1% ABV, which is remarkably low for one of these releases. Let's see if this batch hits as hard as the others despite being in a lower weight class. Nose: Cola, caramel, and brown sugar. Leather and tobacco smoke. Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak. Orange peel, walnut, and almond. Mahogany. Intense, in a good way. I really could not tell that it's under-proofed in comparison to its contemporaries. Nice start. Palate: Oak and nutty notes of almond and walnut upon entry. Vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, and Gala apple. Orange peel and sundried raisin. Toffee and another sweet note that sits somewhere between maple and molasses. Solid palate. Finish: Carrot cake note I get from Henry McKenna 10. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, oak. Big caramel. Finish as long as the day. 4.75. Not quite up to snuff with the other ECBPs I have had in the past, but it is right there. Even at the lower proof, it is still an absolute monster. At $60, this is highway robbery. Value for money through the roof. If you are into Heaven Hill, barrel proof whisky, or Bourbon in general, give this one a shot. Once again, kudos to Heaven Hill.

Opened two months ago. The nose hits you with hot ethanol and ketones, making it tough to detect other aromas due to the chemical burn. Beneath that, you can find notes of burnt caramel, strong oak, powdery baking spices, and dusty grains if you take small sniffs. The front and mid-palate offer familiar ECBP tastes like dense vanilla and caramel sugars, with hints of berry compote and toasted nuts. However, the burn returns on the lengthy finish. It's very dry, with tannic oak and a strong ethanol burn complemented by grain dust, toasted bread, and burnt caramel. I was fortunate to get this at the newest Durham ABC store, which seemed to have been holding onto ECBP bottles for its grand opening. Perhaps it was actually unlucky, as this is hands-down the worst ECBP I've encountered (A119, A120, B520, and C920 were all superior). Despite this bottle having the lowest proof ECBP I've had, it delivers the most heat by far. I usually finish these bottles quickly because they're so incredibly good, but this one will last a while. The oak and chemical notes overpower what you'd expect from ECBP. You're unlikely to still find this on the shelves, but if you do, I suggest steering clear.

I had this expression set aside for some time and recently opened it. Let's smell and taste! On the nose, there's milk chocolate, sweet corn, spices used in baking, fresh bread, brown sugar, and a touch of mown lawn. Very characteristic of the distillery, and I appreciate that! The palate is sweet, rich, and viscous, featuring some sweet corn, baking spices, a whisper of cut grass, and oak. The finish is extended, with persistent sweet corn, powdered sugar, baking spices, a subtle nuttiness, and a bit of cut grass, accompanied by a slight tingle on the sides of the mouth. This could be among my favorite Elijah Craig Barrel Proof batches. It strongly brings to mind traditional distillery characteristics, which I greatly enjoy. This one has a slightly lower proof than many of their releases, but that doesn't bother me. It's delicious.