whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121

Posted on 01-March-202128-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 Review:

23-February-2021

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 BOURBON REVIEW:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 (ECBP A121) drinks below its 123.6 proof and is another fine offering in the ECBP line up. For those of us who enjoy dark oaky bourbon, it works even though A121 is not as sweet as some of its siblings. Its flavor also lacks the fruitiness I’ve come to expect from some ECBP offerings. A small amount of water will help this spirit bloom, yet I enjoy this bourbon neat. I’ll be reaching for this bottle again soon.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Small Batch Barrel Proof
Region: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill/Bernheim Distillery
Mashbill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Barrel entry proof: 125
Age: 12 Years
Non-chill filtered
ABV: 61.8% (123.6 Proof)
Availability: Tri-anual Limited Release
Released): January 2021
Batch: A121
▪”A” First release of the year
▪”1″ Released in January
▪”21″ Released in 2021
Price: $59.99 (2021-Idaho)

Learn more at Heaven Hill Distillery.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, the first 1.4 ounces from the newly opened bottle were poured into our Infinity Bottle Project. Alternate pours into two Glencairns were made to achieve review portions. The bourbon was enjoyed neat with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 NOSE:

ECBP A121 doesn’t waft from the bottle like many bourbons do when the synthetic cork is pulled. But, when I bring the Glencairn to my nose, I get a dry warming bite of roasted corn and dusty grain. I’m also treated to ripe berries, dark cherries, currents, dark plums, and dried dark fruits of raisin, prune and fig as well as spices of white pepper and rye. The first sweets I smell are of yellow cake, chocolate nibs, and vanilla custard, all of which fade to vanilla taffy, buttery brown sugar, and cashew toffee. I don’t pick up much wood on the nose, just a bit of sweet toasted oak and notes of fresh tanned leather.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 PALATE:

The first sip of ECBP A121 is fairly easy to hold, with only a slight tickle to my tongue. When finally swallowed, the sip gives my throat a warm bite. After a good Kentucky Chew, I get a floral potpourri of dried flowers and grassy notes. Sensations of roasted corn and dusty grain are also present in each mouthful. Continued sipping brings on dark currants and dried dark figs which dance with spices of warm ginger and black pepper and dark sweets of dark vanilla, burnt sugar, woody caramel, dark molasses, and dark toffee. And then comes the lumber; bitter walnuts, dry and heavy oak and musty hazy barrel char.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Solid and well blended, ECBP A121 is a rich and oily liquid and yet oddly, without much body. In the Glencairn, long fat legs cling to the glass walls before returning the liquid to the mahogany colored pool. The droplets then fade quickly away.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 FINISH:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 finishes with lingering heat … even a slight bite at the back of the throat. The dried flower and grassy elements sensed in the mouth fade into dusty grain as do the dark dried figs. Warm ginger and rye nearly overpower any burnt woody caramel and dark molasses. The bitter walnut sensed in each sip, fades as dry heavy oak and barrel char dominate the finish.

THE ADDITION OF WATER

Water can often tame big, bold whiskeys and the addition of 2-4 drops will not radically change the proof of the pour. Rather, water may help open the spirit which can then allow the aromas and flavors to bloom. Therefore water was added to A121 in controlled amounts three evenings after the initial tasting in effort to discover its effect.

I added two drops of distilled water to 1.5 ounces of ECBP A121. Cinnamon now greets the tongue on the first sip and the grassy notes are slightly subdued. The roasted corn and dusty grain as well as the dark fruits remain. The small amount of water seems to enhance ECBP A121’s sweetness. The burnt sugar element is diminished as is the bitterness sensed the initial tasting. Still, the dry and heavy oak and hazy barrel char remain. Two drops of water improved A121.

After the two drop dram was downed, a fresh 1.5 ounce pour of ECBP A121 was made and four drops of distilled water were added. The warm ginger and black pepper I noted a few days back seem to be even more pronounced. The pour remains dark, but distinct flavors noted during the initial tasting have blended and the hazy barrel char seems to dominate the sweetness and fruits. For me, two drops per 1.5 ounces is about right … four drops of water may be a bit much.

MY ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 RATING: 88/100; 90/100 w/ 2 drops of water

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
I am ALWAYS watching for ECBP offerings.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process}_.

When enjoyed NEAT, click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this score.

When enjoyed with water, click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Maker’s Mark 101 Bourbon Review

Posted on 20-February-202129-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Maker’s Mark 101 Bourbon Review

Original review written February 16, 2021

MAKER’S MARK 101 BOURBON REVIEW:

I love Maker’s products generally, from their least expensive all the way to the private selects we have found and enjoyed for Idaho. However, I’m sad to report, this one did not meet the standard and has an ungainly awkwardness to it. 83/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Loretto, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Maker’s Mark Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Wheated
– Age: nas (believed to be 5-7 yrs.)
– Mash Bill: Corn=70%; Soft red winter wheat=16%; Malted barley=14%
– Casks: unpublished
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– ABV: 50.5% (101 proof)
– Price: $37.95 USD in Idaho

Visit makersmark.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I imagine Maker’s 101 Bourbon would be enjoyable sitting on the porch in the middle of a crowded, desert city. There is a haze sweeping across the horizon as the sun sets, making neighboring palm trees look like tall, black beams shooting into the sky. It’s a rough, plant-y pour to counteract an unbearable heat and waves of desert gardens.

Photo by Michael Carruth on Unsplash

NOSE:

This nose is incredibly soft and, in a word, inviting. It definitely smells like a Maker’s, with the wheat presence being particularly strong, as well as just a dry grass. With this comes a freshness that sits right at the front of the sip. It is almost like how an apple stem tastes (no, I don’t eat them, but I chew on them). The second half of the nose includes seasoned figs, with some nutmeg and perhaps cloves. Deep, focused draws bring out some molasses and gingerbread cookies.

A warm, sunshine sensation envelops the bourbon as well, like dried out sand in the middle of a desert with cacti kind of warmth. It’s strange, because there are those strong aforementioned plant scents too, but it somehow balances well.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Perhaps my favorite aspect of this pour, as there is a raspy quality to it that catches on the taste buds, creating an ever-so-slight tickle.
– Balance: I’m a little disappointed, to be honest. A solid plant flavor isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the limited flavors existing beyond the wheat/grass seem awkward paired together.
– Visual: Honey in color, there is a spackling of droplets along with some legs that are thin and fade quickly.

– Taste: Plant bitterness comes across the palate first, and is almost grassy. There’s warmth here, yes, and it does seem to be grain-based in nature, and it rasps a little on the tongue. A mild oak pairs with it, and just sort of hangs out without being what I would call, an active participant.

The alcohol is mild, as would be expected for a 101 proof bourbon, and it may even seem like less than a 101 on the palate, though this could be from the wheat in the mash bill.

I can’t find any notable fruit presence here, which is strange because I usually associate fruit flavors with Maker’s products, but try as I might, I can’t find anything. On spice, if I squint, there is a bit of cloves, but it’s very gentle and subtle behind the plants. Maybe there is a hint of leathery spice with the wheat, but again – mild.

When I do a Kentucky chew, there is a strange mix of bitterness, apples, and chlorine… I’m honestly not very fond of this combination.

Other than this, I find this to be a bit of a one-trick pony with the grass and wheat being the stars, and the backing flavors not necessarily complimenting each other. I keep smacking it on my palate to find new things, but it’s just more of the same, slightly disappointing bitterness.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. I’ve got some warmth lingering on my palate, and an aftertaste on the sides of my tongue in particular.
– Between Sips: The grass is still here, but it seems to have a bit of freshness to it, maybe, on part, due to an apply essence that is very faint.

– No More: There are no major noticeable changes in flavor as I get further into the glass. Perhaps the apple grows a little, but not enough for me to really change my overall thoughts on this. It’s tolerable. The raspy mouth feel is really what saves this bourbon, I think.

The empty Glencairn smells so incredible with a rich, deep, spicy oak. Now I’m saddened even more that the actual pour couldn’t be more reminiscent of what is left over after the pour is gone.

WORTH THE PRICE?

At under $40 USD, it’s not as though you are going to be robbed should you buy this. I think this could be enjoyable for a beginner wanting to graduate to 100+ proofs, but for those who indulge in the 100+ looking for a value, I’m not quite convinced. If you can get a Dry Fly 101, you’d get a far superior bourbon that is the same proof and similarly priced.

RATING: 83/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 83/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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Maker’s Mark 101 Bourbon

Posted on 20-February-202129-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Maker’s Mark 101 Bourbon Review:

16-February-2021

MAKERS MARK 101 BOURBON REVIEW:

Maker’s Mark 101 is a decent bourbon. It won’t wow the seasoned drinker but for someone looking to advance to a higher proof, this might fit the bill. People who like regular Maker’s will likely enjoy the additional heat, yet there’s not much more complexity to this limited availability offering.

MAKERS MARK 101 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Wheated Whisky
Region: Loretto, KY
Distiller: Maker’s Mark
Mashbill: 70% corn; 16% soft red winter wheat; 14% malted barley
Barrel Char: unpublished
Barrel Proof: 110
(A lower proof than most cask strength whiskies; purposely kept lower to prevent alcohol from overwhelming the taste.)
Age: nas (believed to be 5-7 years)
ABV: 50.5% (101 Proof)
Price: $37.95 (2020 in Idaho)

Learn more at Distillery Trail Blog.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

This challenging to find bourbon was enjoyed neat with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

MAKERS MARK 101 NOSE:

Makers Mark 101 smells warm and has the aroma of fruit tree blossoms floating in the breeze. More nosing brings flora notes of roasted corn, wheat, and dry cut grass. Its fruit components are faint; fresh-sliced tart apple core, sweet cherries and orange zest and white pepper lies under sweets of rich vanilla, maple and brown sugar. Wood components are subtle as well: cashews, and fresh cut toasted pine. And oddly, freshly applied drywall mud – but it works.

MAKERS MARK 101 PALATE:

From the first sip, this bourbon is warm and herbal as its notes of roasted corn blend with wheat and drying hay. I am able to detect a bit of dark plum mixed with a touch of bitter citrus but the typical fruitiness found in most Maker’s products just isn’t there. I do get a hint of cloves and black pepper which does work with the scant sweetness of bittersweet chocolate, maple and burnt brown sugar, but like the fruit component, the spice and sweets are fleeting. The woodiness first presents as bitter hazelnuts but then gives way to dry oak and then hazy barrel char. As each sip is swallowed, an almost bitter herbal grassiness remains.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
There’s not many flavors to play off one another but they are reasonably balanced. In the Glencairn, the whisky is smooth and oily and the liquid clings before the legs break into an irregular crown then fall back to the honey colored pool.

MAKERS MARK 101 FINISH:

Maker’s Mark 101 has a medium length dry warm finish. Herbal wheaty flavors pass through to the finish but all fruitiness is gone as a grassy aftertaste remains. This is not a spicy bourbon but what is there lingers. I also get a hint of bittersweet chocolate, but no other sweetness. Yet the dry oak and hazy barrel char do come through and when the last dram is gone, sweet campfire oak wafts from the Glencairn.

MY MAKERS MARK 101 RATING: 84/100

Will I buy this whisky again? NO
I won’t rush to replace my bottle, but it may have some intrinsic and conversational value to the well appointed home bar.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 85/100 to access other whiskies with this score
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark..

MAKER’S MARK 101 TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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