whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B520 Review

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

Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B520 Review:

written on 30-January-2021

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 BOURBON REVIEW:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B520 (ECBP B520) is a solid addition to the Elijah Craig line. I love the heat and there’s plenty, but for me, the pour is a bit unlinked; there’s the smell and taste of fruit, but I cannot say what it is. I smell something, but whatever it is, it does not pass to the mouth. It is sweet and yet, not sweet. The liquid wants to hug all the way to the finish, but a good chew is easy, feels great and is a pleasure to hold in my mouth. Still, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B520 is a fine bourbon, and I’ll have another.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Small Batch Barrel Proof
Region: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill/Bernheim Distillery
Mashbill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Barrel entry proof: 125
Age: 12 Years
Non-chill filtered
ABV: 63.6% (127.2 Proof)
Availability: Tri-annual Limited Release
Release Date: May 2020
Batch number identifier: B520
▪”B” Second release of the year
▪”5″ Released in May
▪”20″ Released in 2019
Price: $69.99 (July 2020 in Wisconsin, $59.95 in Idaho)

_{Learn more at https://heavenhill.com/.}

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, ECBP B520 was shared neat from Glencairns with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

ECBP B520 NOSE:

When first brought to the nose, ECBP B520 offers a touch of strong alcohol, yet full and hearty draws don’t burn. There’s a hint of fruit tree blossoms and ripe berry nectar sweetness, and while it always surprises me, fresh citrus; this time segmented clementines. Light allspice blends with yeasty brown sugared pastry and light vanilla. More sweets of simple syrup, orange blossom honey comb and maple syrup fade in and out but never overpower its simple, light, dry oak.

ECBP B520 PALATE:

The first sip of ECBP B520 is quite warming in the mouth, but it is so easy to hold as I jot down my tasting notes. I do taste some floral notes, but less so and the Elijah Craig trademark roasted corn, dusty grain and mown hay is there but then again, it’s not. I get a faint taste of berries, some acidic tartness (maybe Pink Lady apples?) and other fruits but my taste bud are unable to truly define them. Traces of allspice, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and rye mix with sweets of light vanilla, cinnamon Red Hots candy, brown sugar and woody burnt caramel. And while definitely not nutty, I taste something roasted along with seasoned oak, toasted barrel spice, hazy char and an aire of old leather.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
The elements sensed on the nose and palate are so well blended they are difficult to discern; I don’t taste what I smell and I can’t smell what I taste. While I can hold the liquid in my mouth without difficulty (it’s viscous, oily and rich), I get a rough and gritty fiery bite on the back of the tongue and throat when I swallow. After each sip, a curtain of liquid breaks in long clinging legs to fall back to the terracotta colored pool, leaving a perfect inverted crown.

ECBP B520 FINISH:

ECBP B520 finishes medium long, with plenty of lingering throat warmth. It is light with only traces of cinnamon, black pepper, and burnt caramel remembrance to go with seasoned oak, toasted wood, hazy barrel char, and leather.

MY ECBP B520 RATING: 89/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
I would buy ANY older Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bourbon if found on the shelf.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 89/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.

ECBP B520 TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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High Proof Infinity Bourbon Review #1

Posted on 30-January-202130-January-2021 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s High Proof Infinity Bourbon Review #1

Original review written January 26, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
High Proof Infinity Bourbon Review #1: For our first attempt at an Infinity Bottle, I think that it is fairly well-blended and offers a unique taste that definitely stands out from the bottles that contributed to its creation. 91/100

VITALS:
Region: USA
Category: Infinity Bottle Project
Source: For whiskey input details reference the table below
Infinity Blended Mash Bill*: 72.53% corn, 10.47% rye, 5.37% wheat 11.63% malted barley
Barrel Char*: #3.5
Barrel entry proof*: 122
Age: nas due to multiple entries
Infinity Blend ABV*: 60.45% (120.9 Proof)
_{*(calculated values)}

Learn more in FaceBook’s Infinity Bottle Experiment group.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this special project here!

SETTING:
Sit on the banks of a lake surrounded by a pine tree forest on a misty day. Let nature surround you completely, with sounds of wind through trees and water sweeping onto the shores… all while fresh, clean air enters your lungs. I think our Infinity Bottle would be a great addition to such an atmosphere and make us feel more at one with the world in our own, unique bubble.

Photo by Derick Berry on Unsplash

NOSE:
As the glass warms, I find baking spices emerging that make for a very warm tone overall. Ginger and brown sugar seem most readily apparent, but there is caramel here also and maybe a bit of dark fruits, like figs. On deep draws, the alcohol can sting a little, but as a whole, I’d say that the alcohol is relatively subtle and adds just to the dimension of the pour. Considering the majority of the bourbons used to create this edition of the Infinity Bottle aren’t heavy in caramel or baking tones, this nose does come at a bit of a surprise, though it is not unwelcome. It comes across as rich in character, backed by wood and maybe even a hint of leather that add to the complexity and fullness.

PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: It has a tingle with little provocation, but otherwise feels very smooth when it just sits on the palate.
– Balance: While there are other flavor dimensions present, the hero is definitely age and earth. With the extra subtle intricacies, it makes for a complex and entertaining sip.
– Visual: Tawny in color, there are closely packed legs that drop quickly and leave behind a clinging droplet crown.

– Taste: The first sip is full of warmth, but not the baking spice warmth that I was expecting. Rather, it’s an earthy warmth, like an old oak or even nutrient-rich soil. This isn’t to suggest that this tastes like dirt, rather to the contrary, I’d say that it tastes more organic or natural than anything else. There is an alcohol tickle already present here without the Kentucky chew, which I quite enjoy, especially knowing that this is our high proof bottling. Nevertheless, I can let it sit on my tongue for a good long while without feeling any kind of significant discomfort.

With the bite is a little bit of cherry and a bitter nut that I’d say is closest to hazelnut. It works to make the sip very pleasant while not being overwhelmingly one thing or another. A little bit of vanilla wants to peek out too, but it seems to be struggling to fully commit to its presence.

The Kentucky chew takes a long while to reach burning levels, and when it does, the bitter nut hits hard with the cherries and now figs chasing at its heels. A bit of pepper wakes up here with the burn, but it fades back out quickly. The pause immediately following the chew has the old oak coming back, mingling with the bitter nut again and leaving an interesting aftertaste behind.

FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Long. I can feel the warmth linger in my mouth, and I know the deeper I get into this glass, the warmth will move to my throat and chest also.
– Between Sips: Bitterness sits the strongest at the back of my palate along with a traditional bourbon warmth and aged earth. It almost has a parchment age quality to it (no, I do not eat paper). It makes for a very fascinating pause, to be sure.

– No More: The age definitely continues to persist as I get further into the glass, but the other flavors like the cherry and vanilla stick around also and do seem to be growing in boldness, which makes every next sip exciting. Meanwhile, the heat and warmth do continue to grow, as I predicted they would.

The empty Glencairn is spicy, warm, and full of barrel char. It’s incredibly pleasant while also being very different from other empty Glencairns that I have smelled before. Truly a unique pour start to finish while still remaining familiar all at once.

WORTH THE PROJECT?
Absolutely. I think we will have a great deal of fun with this project as we continue to add more bourbons and drink more of them out of the bottle. It keeps the bunker fresh and original, while also preserving some of the favorites we have found along the way.

RATING: 91/100

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Booker’s 2020-02 Boston Batch Review

Posted on 16-January-202127-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Booker’s 2020-02 Boston Batch Review

Original review written January 14, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Booker’s 2020-02 Boston Batch Review: Doesn’t taste at all like a Booker’s and while it’s decent, it seems overpriced and not what I personally love or look for in a Booker’s. 79/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: 6 yrs. 3 mo. 10 days
– Mash Bill: Corn=77%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 63.25% (126.5 proof)
– Price: $84.95 USD in Idaho

– From Master Distiller’s Notes: Boston Batch is made up of barrels that were aged in 4 different locations/warehouses (WH)… Breakdown is as follows:
33%: 5th floor of 9-story WH G
29%: 5th floor of 7-story WH Z
27%: 6th floor of 9 story WH H
11%: 3rd floor of 7 story WH 5

Find more information at bookersbourbon.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

Given the lack of complexity found in this pour, I think Boston Batch would be most enjoyable in or around an ice cream parlor or diner, where one can order a Boston shake to enjoy on a warm, summer day. The smells of the small restaurant can cloud the senses and fill you with pleasant, innocent happiness and make you feel a bit lighter in heart and in mind.

Photo by R. Mac Wheeler on Unsplash

NOSE:

Floral notes and vanilla come out of the glass first, with a very inoffensive alcohol burn. There is a dry, sweet spice here too, but it isn’t very distinct flavor-wise, rather acting as a binding scent for other flavors. There is a dark fruit here, but it is gentle, perhaps like figs or another stone fruit. I find a pastry element here also, something cake-like, but slightly overbaked – nevertheless sweet and tasty. There isn’t a distinguishable wood here either, which is surprising for a Booker’s. Overall, this bourbon’s nose is full of baking spices, albeit a far cry from any Booker’s nose I’ve ever experienced… still, of course, very inviting.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Creamy with just the slightest tickle.
– Balance: Blends well but it’s not jaw-dropping.
– Visual: Carrot in color, there is a short-lived crown that turns quickly into clinging droplets.

– Taste: Carrying on from the nose, the palate of Boston Batch is unlike any other Booker’s I’ve ever tasted, even on its first sip. The alcohol is incredibly tame and barely burns while I decipher flavors – a true feat for a 126+ proof offering. While I may have been expecting baked goods, instead, I find almost an herbal quality to this profile, with grassy notes coming through in a soft, light way. There is a fruit that wants to come out underneath the grass, maybe the stone fruit from the nose, but it’s struggling to do so.

Age in a dusty, leathery way emerges the longer I let it linger on my tongue and maybe a sweet oak, but it’s minimal. This tastes fine, but admittedly, it tastes nothing like traditional Booker’s and never would I guess so in a blind tasting. (If anything, maybe an elevated Basil Hayden’s.)

A Kentucky chew wakes up the alcohol and a bit of pepper (undefined) that does burn, but no other flavors to be found.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long: There’s warmth that settles everywhere, along with a bit of an aftertaste.
– Between Sips: There’s leather and dirt and even a subtle eucalyptus (like in a cough drop). It’s not necessarily unpleasant, but I’d rather it not stay on my palate too long.

– No More: Wood chips are becoming more apparent the more I get into the glass and the eucalyptus lingers strongly with it at the back of the palate.

The empty Glencairn is a sweet, warm oak that reminds me of the original nose, but still not at all of the taste. It’s disappointing, simply because if the pour itself drank as how this empty glass smells, it would have been phenomenal.

WORTH THE PRICE?

As a Booker’s product, I expect a great deal more from the line as a whole, and paying $85 for an elevated version of Basil Hayden’s (a bourbon I already think is overpriced as it is), I’m disappointed, and don’t think Boston Batch is worth this kind of money.

RATING: 79/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 79/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Booker’s.

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