Tag: Elijah Craig Review

Elijah Craig Straight Rye Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Elijah Craig Straight Rye Review

Original review written July 12, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

A solid rye that I have been looking forward to tasting. It’s deep, rich, and sweet, and almost doesn’t drink like a rye. Nevertheless, a great buy, and one I will keep around most certainly. 89/100

VITALS:
Elijah Craig Straight Rye Review

– Made In: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Straight Rye
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Rye=51%; Corn=35%; Malted Barley=14%
– Casks: unpublished char
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 47% (94 proof)
– Price: $32.95 USD in Idaho 2022

Visit elijahcraig.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the spirit neat with sister, Elora, and well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this rye here!

SETTING:

I imagine sitting on a stool with Elijah Craig Straight Rye in one hand, and a big bowl of chocolate in the other. Decorate the chocolate with various fruits and colors, and I think this rye has met its partner. I think the sweetness of each will play off of one another well, emphasizing bitterness in the right places and exacerbating warmth in others. The rye and chocolate create a pleasant hug of sweetness and comfort, and the two together only would make each other shine all the more.

Photo by American Heritage Chocolate on Unsplash

NOSE:

This meets the nose as a dark rye with plenty of malt and a thick toffee acting as a foundation, complete with hazelnuts and toasted coconut and even a tart, citrus zest. The wood is formidable as well, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s fresh. Rather, it has a musty element, making it seem water-logged with the plant/vegetation aspect incredibly strong. Despite this, I can still find a freshness in this nose, with the smell of rain (petrichor) absolutely bursting from the glass mixing with a bite of cinnamon to sweeten.

For this being an Elijah Craig product, I’m not surprised to sense black pepper; however, I am surprised to note how little black pepper there is. This rye is earthy and deep and teems with age (for a rye at least). The alcohol is even softer with the rye than how it is with its Small Batch Bourbon counterpart. Nevertheless, this is still a complex and intriguing rye, and I am ready to sip.

PALATE:
Elijah Craig Straight Rye Review

– Mouth Feel: It’s slightly more watery than I was anticipating, but it does grow in texture and warmth with more sips.
– Balance: Heavy on the sugary sweetness, this still has a wood base and earthy tone that make everything else taste that much livelier.
– Visual: Carrot in color, there are many, thick legs that fall from clinging droplets. The droplets turn to a solid ring, and this also lingers for a good deal of time.

– Taste: I can let this sit on my palate almost indefinitely without feeling much of a burn, and also not a great deal of flavor. When a bit more aggravated, a dark brown sugar emerges with molasses and a sweet praline trails them. A sweeter nut, like peanuts, resides in this praline as opposed to the bitter hazelnuts from the nose. There’s honeycomb, candied apples, melted chocolate and even a bit of maple. This whole glass radiates dark sweetness, touched by the slightest amount of black pepper to make everything bite a little.

It’s a rye that, frankly, is hard to forcibly interact with. The temptation to just sit with it and let the warmth grow is tremendous. It grows in complexity also the longer it sits on the tongue, with the sugar elements turning into pure sugar crystals and the depth intensifying into something that tastes older and older. There aren’t many fruits aside from the occasional raisin and aforementioned apples. All the same, this is a sheer joy to sip. The alcohol is mild, but it does escalate in warmth the further into the glass I get. A Kentucky chew provokes chocolate and buttery walnuts, and the warmth is excellent.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. At times, the heat lingers and punches even after the sip is gone; however, most often it dwindles and settles without incident.
– Between Sips: Caramel and chocolate – like a candy bar – can be found between sips, but otherwise, the flavor does fade somewhat quickly.

– No More: This grows in complexity the longer I sit with it, and as mentioned in the palate, the alcohol grows as well, becoming warmer, and somehow, even richer.

The empty Glencairn is a light oak with bits of honey and vanilla mixed in – unaggressive, but certainly soft and smooth. I wish it was a little punchier, but this rye has held true to its sweetness until the very end.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Just over $30, and an Elijah Craig and a rye from their distilleries at last – absolutely it’s worth the price. This rye is a great value, and it’s one that I intend to keep around in the bunker given the chance.

ELIJAH CRAIG STRAIGHT RYE REVIEW RATING: 89/100

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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 Review

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

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

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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920 Bourbon

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920 Bourbon Review:

reviewed on 09-November-2021

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C920 BOURBON REVIEW:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920 Bourbon (ECBP C920) starts hot, both on the nose and palate. But once acclimated, one can get fruit, spice, sweet and wood. The bourbon is rich and oily and has one of the longest finishes I’ve experienced. This is another solid and well balanced barrel proof offering from Heaven Hill.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C920 BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920 Bourbon

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: 66.4% (132.8 Proof)
Availability: Tri-annual Limited Release
Release Date: September 2020
Batch number identifier: C920
▪”C” Third (last) release of the year
▪”9″ Released in September
▪”20″ Released in 2020
Price: $59.99 (2020-Idaho)
NABCA CSC #: 17917

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

ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:

The first one and a half ounces were taken out of the newly opened bottle and 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 enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C920 BOURBON NOSE:

The first waft of ECBP C920 is so full of potent ethanol, I altered my usually deep inhales. After several more intakes, my nose (and eyes) acclimated. Then came roasting corn, backed by a deep aroma of fermenting silage. While not unpleasant, the new scent is certainly unusual and one I have not encountered before in a bourbon. Continued nosing brings ripe berries, fresh apples, apricots, and maybe a bit of candied citrus. Spices of cinnamon, ginger, green pepper and rye balance the sweets of light vanilla, soft caramel corn, brown sugar, and toasted marshmallows along with a light drizzling of honey. While I do not pick up a lot of woodiness, I do sense pecans, light fresh cut oak and toasted wood which pairs nicely with the earthiness of crisp autumn leaves raked into piles.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C920 BOURBON PALATE:

Even before the first sip of ECBP C920 nestles into its spot in the front of my palate, I am hit with the warm bite of cinnamon red hots. Then comes roasted corn hiding in tart berries, cooked apples, cherries, and grilled peaches. As on the nose, spices of cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and rye spar with bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar, toasted marshmallows and dark honey … with some flakey pie crust and a touch of light molasses thrown in for complexity. The spice and sweets work together because they are in balance with flavors of light dry oak, earthy toasted wood and musty barrel char.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920 Bourbon

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
As the liquid settles in, I am surprised at how easy it is to hold in my mouth considering the proof. While ECBP C920 gives my tongue an aggressive tickle, I find it rich and oily. After each sip, a thick clinging curtain fades into the burnt amber colored pool leaving behind a broken ring of droplets. This is another solid and well balanced barrel proof offering from Heaven Hill.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF C920 BOURBON FINISH:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920 Bourbon bites with an exceptionally long almost hot finish. There is a slight aftertaste of mown hay and a hint of bitter citrus. But while greatly diminished, the spices and sweets noted on the nose and taste buds pass to the finish. And when the last dram is downed, alcohol and a deep earthiness of freshly sawn oak can drawn 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 C920 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 132.41 (down from 132.8) but doesn’t take much away from the aroma, flavors or finish. There’s still alcohol – both on the nose and in the first sip. The corn, berries and apples still mix with cinnamon, ginger, pepper and rye and sweets of vanilla, soft caramel, and brown sugar. Best of all, they balance with the dry oak, earthy toasted wood and musty barrel char. But because two drops do not alter the pour, there is no reason to add them.

Adding four drops of water to 1.5 ounces of ECBP C920 lowers the proof to 132.03. The introduced water knocks down the alcohol hit on the nose and fades individual aromas and flavors. If four drops add anything, the whiskey becomes more caramelly and oaky but without the balancing fruit and spice components. It is still a fine pour and if I were given a watered down C920 without knowing what it was, I would be happy.

MY RATING: 93/100;
… with two drops 93/100;
… with four drops 91/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof offerings are in a word, Amazing. I will buy more as I find them.
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.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920 Bourbon
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920 Bourbon

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