Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C917 Review:
written on 22-December-2018
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C917 REVIEW:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C917 (ECBP C917) stands well on its own. I found its aroma to be fresh with citrusy undertones, spicy with no sweetness on the palate, and woody with a fair amount of heat on the finish.
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C917* VITAL STATS:
– Region: Bardstown, KY, USA
– Producer: Heaven Hill Distilleries
– Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
– Casks: New American Oak
– Barrel Char Level: #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 65.5% (131 Proof)
– Age: nas
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho
– Availability: Limited Tri-annual Release
*NOTE: Heaven Hill releases Elijah Craig Barrel Proof three times a year and they are all are unique in their own way. While the proof may vary, all are distinctly Elijah Craig. To help buyers know what they are getting, each bottling, is assigned an alpha-numeric identifier. An “A”, “B” or “C” identifies the release. A “1”, “5” or “9” signifies the month of the release and the last two digits designate the release year. Therefore, “C917” was the third bottling of 2017 and released in September.
Learn more at https://heavenhill.com/
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
NOSE:
The traditional bourbon nose on ECBP C917 is accompanied by a great deal of earthiness, orange flavoured citrus, caramel apple, sweet rich vanilla, and oak undertones.
PALATE:
There is a noticeable amount of alcohol on the front with a strong dose of spice and oak in the mouth. Subsequent sips bring on dark figs blending with light floral notes and while not sweet, are accompanied by the baking spices of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.
Balance, Body, Feel, and Look:
Burnt amber in colour, ECBP C917 creates light legs in a Glencairn. Its flavors blend well, however I detected an unusual and unexpected aftertaste. The mouth feel is light and watery with little viscosity; quite possibly due to the high alcohol content.
FINISH:
While ECBP C917’s finish is exceptionally short and its flavors dissipate relatively fast, its bourbon warmth and strong oak lingers on and on.
COMPARISON NOTES:
I enjoyed ECBP C917 during a direct comparison with ECBP A118 and ECBP B518. While a good bourbon, I rated it third, below the other two.
MY RATING: 88/100
Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? YES
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
Click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.
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