Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A119 Review
written on 02-April-2019
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A119 REVIEW:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A119 (ECBP A119) is the first ECBP release of 2019 and proved to be a difficult bourbon for me to assess; I nearly consumed the entire bottle over multiple sessions in the preparation of this review. Those who read my other posts know I delight in enjoying my whiskey neat, whatever the proof. Not so for the 135 proof ECBP A119. For my taste, I found this bourbon needs quite a lot of water for it to be appreciated.
ELIJAH CRAIG SMALL BATCH PROOF A119 VITAL STATS:
– Category: Small Batch Barrel Proof
– Region: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
– Distillery: Heaven Hill Bernheim Distillery
– Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
– Barrel Char: #3
Non-chill filtered
– Barrel entry proof: 125
Age: nas
– ABV: 67.6% (135.2 Proof)
– Price $59.99 USD in Idaho
– Availability: Tri-annual Limited
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I drank this spirit neat, from a Glencairn glass with daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Hannah.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
When I first sipped ECBP A119 neat I was underwhelmed. Then, as suggested by other reviewers on the web, distilled water to the three ounce dram. (I stopped at eight drops.) Water dramatically improves this bourbon, bringing out many more elusive and hidden flavours.
NOSE:
NEAT: When brought to the nose, ECBP A119 is quite dry and the liquid offers a little alcohol burn. I detected faint and light fruit floral notes, along with dark cherries and sensations of fresh citrus. Its sweetness comes from simple syrup and fresh orange blossoms on the wind and ECBP A119 seems well blended.
WITH WATER: The alcohol I sensed while nosed neat is replaced with subtle hints of banana and fresh, plump gourmet raisins. Water also brings out a subtle molasses sweetness which combines its spiciness with a hint of milk chocolate and a musky charred oak aroma.
PALATE:
NEAT: ECBP A119 is bone-dry, harsh, hot, and strong. The red berries I detected on the nose are overpowered by black pepper and rye spice. Even so, there are a few buttery sugar and orange blossom honey notes which combine with earthy leather and fresh light and dry oak barrel spiciness.
WITH WATER: Water improves ECBP A119’s taste, and therefore makes this juice less dry, more warming and sweet, and a touch rye forward. The subtle dark fruit detected on the nose transfers to the tongue, and the element of light molasses is added. Water also accentuates ECBP A119’s earthy and woody barrel char dramatically smoothing its ‘neat’ harshness.
Balance, Body, Look and Feel:
NEAT: ECBP A119 is a balanced bourbon and when neat, its individual flavours are hard to detect. It seems to lack the depth of previous ECBP iterations. Its colour suggests time in the barrel. In the Glencairn, the liquid offers the viewer an upside-down, crown of clinging droplets, which as the dram is consumed, fall into long full legs.
WITH WATER: ECBP A119 becomes surprisingly smooth and much more complex with added water, but don’t misunderstand … its flavours are still subtle and the strong spiciness is still there.
FINISH:
NEAT: ECBP A119’s finish is long and dry with an ever so faint hint of sweet. It is big, with a harsh rye spice burn and a chew of dried fruit leather, which leaves a lingering aftertaste.
WITH WATER: ECBP A119’s harshness and aftertaste are replaced with an enjoyable sweetness and a tickle on the tongue and as a result of the added water, makes the lingering finish oaky and much more pleasing.
MY RATING: 86/100; (89/100 with water)
Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
When enjoyed NEAT, click 86/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.
If there was a “With Water” rating, I would increase the score to 89 … click 89/100 to see whiskies at this tier.
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