Brian’s Elijah Craig Small Batch Private Barrel – Idaho State Liquor Division Batch 1 – 2019 Review
29-February-2020
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Elijah Craig Small Batch Private Barrel – Idaho State Liquor Division Batch 1 – 2019 (ECSB PB – ID SLD B1) is a wonderful pour. If this was representative of all Elijah Craig expressions, it would be a highly sought after. It is so much more the every day Elijah Craig Small Batch. Recommendation: When a “Private Barrel” or “Store Pick” is found, take it home.
ELIJAH CRAIG SMALL BATCH BARREL SELECT 2019 IDAHO STATE LIQUOR DIVISION BATCH #1 WHISKEY INFORMATION:
– Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Type: Small Batch
– Region: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill
– Mash Bill: Corn: 78%; Rye: 10%; Barley: 12%
– Barrel Char: #3
– Barrel Serial Number: 5682075
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125 proof
– Warehouse: Q-5 (HH Main)
– Age: 9 Years Old
– Non-chill filtered
– ABV: 47 (94 Proof)
– Bar code: 096749000067
– Price: $29.95
– Availability: Highly limited release.
Learn more at https://heavenhill.com/
On occasion, certain barrels aged in Heaven Hill’s Bardstown, KY, USA rickhouses destined to become Elijah Craig Small Batch bourbon outshine others. When this happens, privileged vendors are given the opportunity to purchase the entire contents of these special casks. The privately selected barrels are dumped, bottled in personalized packaging and delivered to the purchasers account (along with the actual emptied barrel) for distribution.
Cask 5682075 was one of these barrels. Offered for sale by Heaven Hill, it was purchased by the Idaho State Liquor Division for exclusive release to its patrons in State Liquor Division sponsored release events.
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!
NOTE: For comparison, a small pour of readily available Elijah Craig Small Batch was used as a control spirit just to see how this privately selected barrel measures up.
NOSE:
When brought to the nose, ECSB PB – ID SLD B1 nips with a slightly strong alcohol presence. More nosing brings dusty corn and fruits of fresh caramel apple, yellow and red gourmet raisins and freshly dried prunes. Spices of nutmeg, allspice and rye blend nicely with rich vanilla, and sweets of caramel corn, brown sugar, caramel, and chocolate toffeed pecans. This is a deep and earthy bourbon with a nice leatheriness which mixes well with the dry oak of a hazy, toasted barrel.
PALATE:
At 94 proof ECSB PB – ID SLD B1 has a bit more of a bite and a little more burn than I expected. But after a few sips the warming juice offers plenty of roasted corn and a just a bit of grassiness. There is an element of dark sweet stone fruit which comes across as sweet prune fruit leather. Spices of ginger, black pepper and rye blend well with graham crackers, chocolate chips and rich vanilla. But these sweets play backseat to its more prominent brown sugar caramel and chocolate toffee with crushed pecans. When the liquid is held in the mouth, an earthy leatheriness blends with dry seasoned oakiness and sweet smoke.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
ECSB PB – ID SLD B1 is buttery smooth, pleasant and yet has a nice tickle to remind you it’s bourbon. It is well balanced and in the Glencairn its well defined inverted crown gives way to long clinging legs which return the juice back into the Mahogany and Henna colored pool. This private barrel has many of the same aromas and flavors as Elijah Craig Small Batch but all are much richer an deeper. This would have made an amazing Barrel Proof offering.
FINISH:
Elijah Craig Small Batch Private Barrel – B1 selected by the Idaho State Liquor Division finishes long and warm as its aromas and flavors fade in and out. Memories of dusty corn hide in hints of grassiness while traces of cinnamon, black pepper and rye give way to its caramel sweetness. This is an earthy bourbon with just enough smokey barrel char, dry oak and plenty of depth as it fades away.
MY RATING: 89/100
Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
Click 89/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.
WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
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