Hannah’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B520 Review
Original review written January 30, 2021
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B520 Review: A really well blended bourbon, and while the nose doesn’t perfectly match the palate, the taste is so solid and warm and fantastic. Definitely recommend. 95/100
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 VITALS:
– Made In: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: 12 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Corn=78%; Rye=10%; Malted Barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3
– Non-chill filtered
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 63.6% (127.2 proof)
– Price: $69.99 USD in Wisconsin
For more information, visit heavenhill.com
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!
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 SETTING:
With the insane warmth of this one, I imagine enjoying this offering in a field of sunflowers. The sun rises and the flowers still don’t know quite where to turn as they wake up. The air is crisp with the last of night’s chill lingering, but the warmth of B520 makes the sun and the colors pop even more amidst the sweet-smelling field.
Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 NOSE:
This smells instantly oily and viscous, and while I know those are not things that one should be able to smell, I feel as though I can anyways. There’s just something slippery that is there instantly, along with something flowery and apple-y. I can also detect ripe white peaches with cinnamon or brown sugar dusted over the top and a vanilla custard with it (though not densely sweet custard). For being over 125 proof, the nose is unaggressive, and I find that I can take deep draws without it affecting me too much. Those deeper draws coax out a sweet oak, a summer flower, and a light maple syrup. Overall, very impressive.
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: Viscous for sure, but there is a mouth-watering tickle here also that keeps me going back for sip after sip.
– Balance: The flavors are all so perfectly well-blended here, it’s very challenging to pull them apart, but they come together in such a cohesive manner to create such a solid taste! I can’t even be frustrated with not getting many individual flavors here.
– Visual: Terracotta pot in color, there are long, clinging legs that eventually thin out to stay as clinging droplets.
– Taste: The first sip is instant warmth that doesn’t burn at the tongue, but certainly tickles on the way down. The fruits are still there on the palate, but I’d almost be tempted to say that they were berry-esque, rather than the brighter fruits of the nose. If I had to pick, I’d say blackberry. There’s a fruity acidity here too, whether that be a citrus (undefined), or perhaps a tart pink lady apple, it’s hard to be sure.
The cinnamon has kicked up in intensity on the palate also, and the vanilla seems darker also. I still wouldn’t define this pour as being particularly sweet, as the heat does keep coming back for second passes, but it has the Elijah Craig essence of richness in its fruits and sharpness in its warmth. Don’t think I mean alcohol burn when I say this, rather just a bourbon warmth (though I do suspect this could give a painful Kentucky Hug).
The oak is stronger on the palate also, along with the char of the barrel. It’s almost as though this pour came directly from charred wood, and I admit, I do quite like that.
A Kentucky chew brings out the heatwaves along with a punch of vanilla and brown sugar. The fruity acidity turns into almost a bitterness and lingers for a second before these other flavors take over the sensation and taste.
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Very long. I can feel the heat absolutely everywhere and it sticks around long after the sip has come and gone.
– Between Sips: Apples (not particularly bitter or tart) occupy the space between sips, along with that classic Elijah Craig warmth. The flavor dissipates quite quickly, I do admit.
– No More: This keeps wanting to bite me the more I get into the glass, but the game of cat and mouse with a blend this solid is very enjoyable and entertaining. No new noticeable flavors to emerge.
The empty Glencairn smells very warm and very similar to the empty Glencairn of Batch B518, with plenty of oak, richness, and certainly age.
IS ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 WORTH THE PRICE?
We usually get ECBP bottlings ten dollars cheaper at around $60, as opposed to this time around when we paid $70 (Idaho did not have a large B520 allocation at the time of purchase). That being said, this bottle, to me, may be the best ECBP offering that I have tried, even exceeding Batch C917, and as such, I think it is worth every penny of $70 easily.
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B520 RATING: 95/100
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