Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 Review

Hannah’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 Review

Original review written on November 30, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Not as impressed with this ECBP batch as I have been with others in the past. Baking flavors abound, but there is a bitterness that makes it less thrilling to sip. 78/100

VITALS:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 Review

– 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
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 60.1% (120.2 proof)
– Price: $69.95 USD in Idaho (2021)

Visit heavenhill.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review of this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I imagine this ECBP would fit well on a beach on a cloudy, cold day. It wouldn’t be overbearing, but it would be certainly present while you walk amidst the dark, cool tone colors. Its color and character both brighten and blend into the scenery around you and work to definitely complete the picture.

Photo by Alexander Kaufmann on Unsplash

NOSE:

This smells readily of woody caramel, vanilla cake, and corn. There is even a vanilla icing – a pure vanilla icing with powdered sugar nearly crystalized. I’m reminded of the drizzle that goes on pastry turnovers (maybe turnovers with baked cherries). I still find a light brown sugar, and even a yeasty/bready component to go with these other baking flavors. What I cannot detect is any type of spice – even a baking spice like cinnamon or ginger. It’s just solid sweet and mellow, woody earthiness.

The alcohol is almost nonexistent to my nose, even on deep inhales, though it is on these deep inhales that I can coax out a touch of cinnamon that is not-quite smoky, but close. As a whole, this bourbon smells good, but it doesn’t quite smell like traditional ECBP, which is more spice and fruit forward.

PALATE:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 Review

– Mouth Feel: I find a kick at the back of the palate, but otherwise, it’s viscous.
– Balance: I wish this had more roots in other flavor profiles; this seems disconnected and confused.
– Visual: Terracotta pot in color, this has many small droplets that form the shape of the ring and very few legs.

– Taste: This tastes a lot hotter than how it smells, and it’s slightly jolting. It’s not burning or unbearable with its heat, but as a sipper who was anticipating softness, given the nose, I feel like I need a bit of recalibrating. After I adapt, I can notice that the pastry from the nose is still present, and there is a heightened sense of cinnamon as well. In fact, the cinnamon seems to have grown enough to turn almost bitter, especially on the aftertaste. The bitterness also has a burnt caramel essence, but definitely heavy cinnamon is the strongest contributor.

I don’t think this palate is particularly complex. There is still plenty of baking sweetness, from the aforementioned cinnamon (though it comes with bitterness included), vanilla, and even some cake. But I don’t detect strong fruits or others spices to work with this sweetness. The only company is that bitterness, and I’m not sure I entirely enjoy that.

I can adapt to the alcohol burn, and now it does not seem too harsh. What it is grounded to – whether that be other flavors or wood – that is a mystery. It doesn’t seem connected to much. The Kentucky chew I think is the biggest thing to revive this bourbon. While the alcohol stings significantly, it does bring out more fruit – decidedly cherries and plums – and overall character.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Short-medium. I get more of an aftertaste than anything specifically warming.
– Between Sips: The bitterness lingers the most between sips, and without significant bourbon warmth to match it, it disappoints in this category unfortunately.

– No More: This does improve the further into the glass I get, with more fruit, like baked apples coming into play. I don’t think they are strong enough necessarily to remove the bitterness, but it helps.

The empty Glencairn has perhaps one of the softest, sweet oaks I’ve encountered in an empty glass. I only find significant aroma on deep inhales, having to practically hunt for it. I’m not used to this in an empty glass, and again – I’m a bit let down.

THE ADDITION OF WATER

– This section written on November 13, 2021 –

Water can often tame 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 allowing the aromas and flavors to bloom. As such, 2 and 4 drops of distilled water were added to their own respective 1.5 oz. pours of ECBP C921 to detect any potential differences:

This glass smells a lot more of spice and rye on the nose than it did neat. Some of the baking flavors, like vanilla, woody caramel, and cake are still present, but I am now finding more notes of allspice and figs to complement. I’m already more impressed with this than I was on the neat nose. On the taste, I still find a lot of the bitter from the neat tasting here as well. This bitterness seems to derive from the wood, being definitely piney in nature. Nevertheless, this offering is far superior to than what it was neat. The finish is even better, being much warmer having some fruit notes as well. (RATING: 86/100)

This smells now even more fruit and rich, warm spices with four drops added. There’s also a sudden savory component with a dash of saltiness to match the sweet, like salted caramel. This element is so minor, it’s easy to miss and ignore it though; it simply adds a bit of an extra backbone to the rest of the nose. On the palate, I get a zing of baking sweetness that goes straight to the salivary glands. It’s cinnamon, clove, and still plenty of caramel. The bitterness is far more subdued this way, though I do lose touch with some of the fruit I found with two drops. This is far superior to drinking ECBP C921 neat. (RATING: 90/100)

WORTH THE PRICE?

For a $70 bourbon, no I honestly do not think it is worth the price. For a bourbon in the ECBP lineup? Definitely not worth the $70 price tag, if you’re only drinking it neat. It’s not a bad bourbon, but if you’re coming into this thinking it’s going to be like the others in the ECBP line, prepare for some significant differences. Adding some water improves its score and makes it closer to a $70 value, for certain – whether you’re adding two, four, or even more drops. This glass improves with water, plain and simple.

We do have a couple bottles of this now reserved in our bunker, and I don’t think I’ll have a problem pouring it. However, given the contents of our bunker, I can see me reaching for many other things before reaching for this.

ELIJAH CRIAG BARREL PROOF C921 REVIEW RATING NEAT: 78/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 78/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.

Back to…

Hannah’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 Bourbon

Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 Bourbon Review:

reviewed on 30-November-2021

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C921 BOURBON REVIEW:

First I must say since Batch C917, I’ve enjoyed the nine previous ECBP offerings I have had. However, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 (ECBP C921) sets a new low for me. From nose to finish the bourbon in this bottle is convoluted. At 120 proof, the nose has little if any heat, yet the pour packs a punch at the back of the palate and on the finish. I sense fruit on the nose but can taste only traces. The reverse is true for spices and although sweet aromas can be sensed in the mouth and finish, any woodiness I get is faint. I am still happy to have a back up bottle in the bunker, but at $70 a bottle, I will pass if I see another.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C921 BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921

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: 60.1% (120.2 Proof)
Availability: Tri-annual Limited Release
Release Date: September 2021
Batch number identifier: C921
▪”C” Third (last) release of the year
▪”9″ Released in September
▪”21″ Released in 2021
Price: $69.95 (Fall 2021, Idaho)
NABCA CSC #: 17917

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

PREPARATION:

Taken out of the newly opened bottle, the first one and a half ounces mixed with the bourbon in our Infinity Bottle Project. Then, by alternating pours, four once review amounts went into two Glencairns. My daughter and I partook this bourbon neat for the first part of the review.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C921 NOSE:

Upon first nosing ECBP C921 offers a quick nip of alcohol but it fades and does not come back. There is some sherry tannin, herbal roasted corn husks and dusty grain but the usual floral notes I get with Heaven Hill products. As I continue to nose, I sense an unusual mix of fresh caramel apples, apricots, dried currants and the faint aroma of ripening bananas one might get as they are passed by in the produce aisle. Even so, there is an interesting blend of baking spices at work here. Cinnamon and white pepper back brown sugar and apple filled pastry covered with vanilla icing. Adding to the confusion, I also sense a simple but buttery brown syrup drizzled over yellow cake. This bourbon smells sweet as there is only a bit of light and dry toasted oak in the background.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C921 PALATE:

As on the nose ECBP C921 is dry, herbal, and warm. The fruit basket is all but gone although I get a taste of apples dipped in caramel topped with the dried currants. The baking spices have diminished as well although cinnamon and black pepper attempt to garner attention. But like on the nose, vanilla and buttery caramel are center stage and dominate toasted, almost charred oak.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Each sip of ECBP C921 is oily and viscous, and easy to hold but when swallowed, gives the tongue and throat a mild tickle. There is much more alcohol on the palate than I get on the nose. For me, C921 is a disjointed bourbon. Its sweetness overpowers the fruit, spice, and wood elements. After each sip, the curtain breaks inside the Glencairn allowing long clinging legs to transport the liquid back to the terracotta colored pool leaving behind a thin drop free crown ring.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C921 FINISH:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 Bourbon offers a medium but warm and dry finish. It is even a bit prickly in the throat when swallowed as cinnamon and pepper mix with the rye. The sweet buttery caramel detected on the nose and tasted on the palate finishes at the end of each swallow. Yet, there is a somewhat unpleasant herbal and earthy aftertaste which competes with faint dry toasted oak as sips are taken. And when the last dram is downed, nothing but sweet light oak is all I can draw from the empty Glencairn.

THE ADDITION OF WATER

Water can often tame big, bold whiskeys and allow aromas and flavors to bloom. The addition of 2-4 drops will not radically lower the proof of the pour. Re-evaluation of ECBP C921 occurred using measured pours and precise amounts of distilled water to measure the effect.

Adding two drops to 1.5 ounces of this bourbon reduces the proof to 119.75 (down from the 120.1 bottling). ECBP C921 still has a quick nip of alcohol at first but it is manageable. The water does not dampen the herbal roasted corn husks and dusty grain and although faint I still sense fresh caramel apples. The cinnamon and brown sugared apple pie filling is inviting. Still sweet, there is only a bit of toasted oak to tie it all together. The first sip confirms my suspicion — A couple drops of water make C921 better! Flavors of fruit are more distinct as the baking spices and sweets. There is a bit of bitter oakiness but with the drops, ECBP C921 has a much nicer finish.

Adding four drops to 1.5 ounces of bourbon lowers the proof to 119.4. Upon first nosing the four drop dram, ECBP C921 I get full on caramel, maybe with a hint of salt. Gone is the alcohol, and even the fruit notes take a back seat. The baking spices seem to even enhance woody aromas making me want to take a sip. With the four drop sip in comes the Heaven Hill floral notes although they are quite faint. The blossoms add balance to the dry corn and grain and even allow the baking spices of cinnamon and white pepper to bolster pleasant fresh apple aromas. Even the oak seems stronger and less bitter. I will be adding water to future pours of ECBP C921.

MY RATING: 85/100;
… with two drops 87/100;
… with four drops 89/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
While all Elijah Craig Barrel Proof offerings differ, and some do not reach the standard I’ve come to expect, I will buy other offerings as I find them. And remember, water can be your friend.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

As enjoyed neat, click 85/100 to access other whiskies with this score.

Water dramatically improves Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921. Click 89/100 to access other whiskies in this tier.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Whiskey Reviews