Category: Bourbon Whiskey

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A118 Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A118 Review

written on 31-August-2018, updated December 2018

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A118 REVIEW:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A118 (ECBP A118) is bottled at 130.6 Proof, and is not for the faint of heart.  But for those who are willing, the reward is a mature flavorful treat.  Released in January, batch A118 was the first ECBP bottling of 2018.

ECBP A118 is a strong, sweet, high proof and flavorful bourbon.  At $60 bottle (USD), it is well worth the purchase … if one is into big oak, sweetness and high proof.  Recommendation: Find yourself a bottle.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A118 VITAL STATS:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A118 Review

Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Heaven Hill
Classification: Small Batch Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye & 12% Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 65.3% ABV (130.6 Proof)
Non-Chill Filtered
Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho

Learn more at https://heavenhill.com/.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass.

ECBP A118 NOSE:

I let this sit about 10 min before bringing it to my nose; the alcohol is there, but not as prevalent as one might expect.  The initial blast of fresh buttery oak richness was followed by a great deal of sweetness.  The caramel, brown sugar, butterscotch and vanilla are well blended with cinnamon and baking spices.

ECBP A118 PALATE:

Bourbon heat is there but it fades fairly quickly and is followed by rich, buttery caramel sweetness.  Pleasant fresh cut oakiness gives way to deep pepper-like notes with lots of vanilla and a hint of mellow stone fruitiness. 

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
As of this posting, ECBP A118 is one of my my all-time favorite bourbons, and I will be sad when the last dram fades away.  While there is plenty of bourbon heat, the old oak colored nectar is buttery and rich with a noticeably creamy mouthfeel.

ECBP A118 FINISH:

For a high proof bourbon the finish of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A118 is smooth; there is the expected bite and  general warmness but little burn.  The finish dissipates fairly fast, leaving a memory of rich blended woody caramel sweetness which readies the mouth for the next sip.

COMPARISON NOTES:

During the Christmas Break of 2018, we held a tasting event with three iterations of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bourbons: C917, A118, and B518 – all fine bourbons on their own.  For my senses, ECBP A118 reigned supreme, followed by B518 with C917 coming in a close third.

ECBP A118 RATING: 93/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
While this ECBP batch is no longer in production, if seen on the shelf, take it or any of the barrel proof Elijah Craig offerings home.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 93/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.

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Four Roses Single Barrel Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Four Roses Single Barrel Review

review entry 24-December-2017
ameneded 02-September-2021

FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL REVIEW:

What a nice bourbon … Was in to pick up a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch and found Single Barrel (4RSiB) on the shelf.  I secured a bottle and am glad I did.  More depth and complexity than the Four Roses Small Batch … This is a solid bourbon.

FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL VITAL STATS:
Four Roses Single Barrel Review

– Category: Straight Bourbon
– Company: Kirin Brewery Company
– Region: Lawrenceburg, KY, USA
– Distillery: Four Roses
– Mash Bill: 60% Corn, 35% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
– Barrel Char: #3/#4
– Barrel entry proof: 120
– Warehouse: R (North side of Rickhouse)
– Barrel #: 12-M
– Age: nas
– ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
– Price $45.95 (USD in Idaho 2021)
 ($40.95 USD in Idaho 2017)

Four Roses has 10 different bourbon recipes.  The 10 recipes are based on different yeast strains and mash bills.  The distiller uses two different mash bills, identified by the letters “B” and “E”.  Mash Bill “B” is 60% Corn, 35% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley.  Mash Bill “E” is 75% Corn, 20% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley.  Four Roses also uses five different yeast strains, identified by the letters “F”, “K”, “O”, “Q”, and “V”.

The standard 100 proof single barrel is always OBSV, and consequently if it is a Four Roses Single Barrel and 100 proof then it must be OBSV, consequently 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley with delicate fruit, spice and creamy notes.

Learn more at Four Roses Single Barrel.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed this spirit neat, from a Glencairn with daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Hannah.

Check out her review of this bourbon here!

NOSE:

A little burn of light ethanol at first waft but the sensation fades quickly into light fruit tree blossoms and roasted sweet corn. The come fruits in the form of red berry nectar, subtle sweet Maraschino cherries, dried currants and fresh dried ruit leather. The fruis are backed by allspice, cinnamon, powdered ginger, and rye. 4RSiB has a yeasty component, but it’s  more wine-like than bread but I do sense a bit of brown sugared pastry along with some vanilla custard, buttery caramel, maple sugar, and pecan toffee. There is wood too, sweet light oak, toasted wood and fresh barrel spice.

PALATE:

After my mouth aclimates to the first sip, 4RSiB offers fruit tree blossoms, roasted corn and drying grain. As on the nose, its fruit comes as berry nectar, dried currants and dark fruit leather and the spices are almost savory; ginger, pepper, and rye. Sweets are there but subtle. I get chocolate chips, vanilla, slightly buttery caramel, and dark toasted pecan toffee and the woodiness is of dry seasoned old oak, hazy toasted barrels and an earthy note of old dry leather.

Four Roses Single Barrel Review

Balance, Body, Feel and Look
4RSiB prickles the tongue at first but easy to hold. It begins viscous, but as I salivate it becomes oily and warm. This bourbon is solid and well blended. After each sip is taken, a curtain of liquid breaks into long clinging legs inside the Glencairn to return the liquid to the honey colored pool leaving behind droplets in an ill-formed crown.

FINISH:

I get an almost a light medium to medium long, dry warm finish. It is hard to believe this is a 100 proof bourbon. As each sip fades, currants and dark fruit leather mix with cinnamon, ginger, and pepper. There are also faint traces of bittersweet chocolate, burnt caramel, dark roasted nutty toffee in 4RSiB’s dry seasoned old oak and hazy toasted barrel finish. This bourbon leaves my mouth with a feeling of of barrel tannin.

MY RATING: 90/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
I first reviewed Four Roses Single Barrel in December of 2017. I’ve had pours since then, and even bottles in the bunker. I will be reaching for this one again … soon.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Four Roses.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Four Roses Single Barrel Review
Four Roses Single Barrel Review

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Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review:

written on 16-August-2019

BOOKER’S 2019-02 SHINY BARREL REVIEW:

To paraphrase Dickens: Booker’s 2019-02 “Shiny Barrel Batch” is ‘A Tale of Two Bourbons’, but instead of ‘the worst of times’, both are quite good. Although hard to obtain, this bourbon is worth the effort to find. At 124 proof, the second batch of 2019, “Shiny Barrel” is warm, dangerously soft, and has a buttery mouthfeel as it opens. (“G1” – Glencairn at first pour after opening. “G2” – Subsequent pours.)
G1: From the moment the stopper is pulled until the last drop is emptied, the dram is a peanut bomb.
G2: The peanuttiness vanishes. What remains is all Booker’s.

Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review
BOOKER’S 2019-02 SHINY BARREL VITAL STATS:

– Region: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam, Master Distiller Booker Noe
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Small Batch: 2019-02 “Shiny Barrel”
– Mash bill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
– Casks: New Charred Oak
– AGE: 6 years, 5 months, 1 day
– Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered
– ABV: 62.0% (124.0 Proof)
– Price: $79.95 USD in Idaho

Learn more at https://beamsuntory.com/

Booker’s 2019-02 Shiny Barrel Review

“Shiny Barrel” references a bygone distillery tradition: Oldtime rackhouse workers thieving tastes straight from aging barrels. When going in, bellies would rub barrels removing dust and shinying them up. These barrels would often be near rackhouse centers where temperatures and humidity were just right. Shiny Barrel is made from two production dates, stored in three different rackhouses and sourced as follows:
43%: 4th floor of 9-story warehouse J
39%: 4th floor of 9-story warehouse E
18%: 6th floor of 9-story warehouse D

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed several ounces neat from a Glencairn glass with family, then again later when preparing this review.

NOSE:

G1: There is a little alcohol burn on the nose along with loads of peanuts. More nosing brings a touch of vanilla bean, leathery earthiness and toasted oak.
G2: The nose is classic Booker’s: warm with a blast of heat. More nosing coaxes soft sweet corn silk along with fruit tree blossoms and the ever-so slight citrusiness of lemon and cinnamon infused peach pie. Then vanilla-brown sugar caramel corn blends light chocolate toffee with toasted pinenuts and oak.

PALATE:

G1: At 124 proof, I expected a little hug as the first swallow went down … it never came. But peanuts, peanuts and more peanuts; dried, roasted, unsalted, they’re all there. As the peanuts fade, cinnamon and rye spice blend into vanilla custard, butterscotch, brittle and toffee. Shiny Barrel is fresh and woody with a little char which helps add to its earthy character.
G2: The second tasting was warm with a fiery bite. Carameled, cinnamon peaches blend into soft pear nectar then white pepper and rye spice coat the mouth. Cocoa and vanilla custard are also there along with leather, roasted pinenuts, new toasted oak.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Shiny Barrel is solidly balanced, first in its peanuttiness then overall in subsequent pours. At first there is a light oily mouth feel, which becomes more buttery as it opens. The dram is velvety soft, warm and easy to drink. In the Glencairn, the auburn-polished mahogany coloured fast-dripping long legs leave an upside-down clinging crown of bourbon droplets.

FINISH:

Shiny Barrel Batch’s long warm finish lingers on the back of the tongue and throat.
G1: Hints of cinnamon spiced peanut brittle mingle with an oaken backdrop before it gently fades away.
G2: The pear nectar sensed on the palate gives way to brown sugar caramel and old leather as its sweet oak fades away.

MY RATING: 88/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

I would have rated Shiny Barrel higher but it changed on me (I was so looking forward to the peanuts nosed and tasted from the first Glencairn).

Click 88/100 to access other whiskeys with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Booker’s.

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