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Larceny Barrel Proof C921 Bourbon

Posted on 03-April-202228-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Larceny Barrel Proof C921 Bourbon Review:

reviewed 29-March-2022

LARCENY BARREL PROOF C921 BOURBON REVIEW:

In my opinion, Larceny Barrel Proof C921 (Larceny BP C921) is the best, most balanced whiskey to come out of the Heaven Hill wheated stables since Batch B520 (and I include last autumn’s 11 Year Old Fitzgerald). It is certainly the pinnacle of their 2021 offerings. Currant and plum jam aromas pass to the palate as do allspice, cinnamon, white pepper and sweet simple syrup, sugar, caramel, and toffee. But for me, it is the finish of dry seasoned and toasted oak with smoky sweet barrel char which ties this treat together.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF C921 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Barrel Proof Wheated Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Mashbill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Age: nas (Heaven Hill website indicates batches contain six to eight year old bourbon)
Entry Barrel Proof: 125
ABV: 61.3% (122.6 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 18860
Availability: Tri-anual Limited Release
Batch: C921
▪”C” Third release of the year
▪”9″ Released in September
▪”21″ Released in 2021
Price: $59.95 USD (February 2022, Idaho)

_{The Larceny line of Bourbon is the modern heir of our historic wheated mashbill, known behind-the-scenes at our distillery as “O.F.D.” or Old Fitzgerald Distillate.
^{— Heaven Hill}}

Learn more at Heaven Hill Distillery.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

Taken from a newly opened bottle, the first one and a half ounces topped off 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!

LARCENY BARREL PROOF C921 NOSE:

The first deep waft of Larceny BP C921 gives the nose an alcohol nip with a touch of heat. Once acclimated, I sense barrel tannins, fruit tree blossoms, roasted corn and dusty wheat. Then come jammy currants and plums, a hint of dried citrus zest and some dark plump raisins. As I nose, allspice, cinnamon, white pepper mix with cocoa dust, light vanilla and sweets of simple syrup, raw sugar, caramel, and rich crushed pinenut toffee. And as I close my nosing session, seasoned, dry oak, smoky sweet barrel char and some musty leather provide a firm aromatic foundation. I love the smell and this pour begs a taste.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF C921 PALATE:

Larceny BP C921 gives the mouth a nice bite. It is herbal, with notes of roasted corn and only a notion of wheat. As sensed earlier, I taste the currant and plum jam, now enhanced with dark raisins and figs dusted with cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. There is a drizzling of rich vanilla infused with simple syrup here and I get a suggestion of raw sugar, light molasses and toasted pecans in dark toffee. These flavors are in near perfect balance with a nice dose of dry seasoned oak, some toasted wood, smoky sweet barrel char and just enough earthy dried leather. This bourbon is so good, I found it easy to savor as I made my preparation notes for the review.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Larceny BP C921 is nicely blended and well balanced. The aromas pass to the palate and through to the finish. In my mouth, it is both viscous and oily even though I found it a bit challenging to hold as the liquid is aggressive and even a bit rough on my tongue. In the glass, long legs fade fast, giving way to small droplets which quickly return the dregs to the dark terracotta colored pool.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF C921 FINISH:

Larceny Barrel Proof C921 has an exceptionally long herbal finish with a surprising but welcome sensation of cooling mint and plum nectar. I feel cinnamon, ginger and pepper carry away the memory of light vanilla simple syrup, sugar, burnt caramel and dark toffee. And always the dry seasoned, toasted and heavy oak, smoky sweet barrel char and earthy leather drifts in the aftertaste. When the last drops disappear, rich musty sawdust in a splash of alcohol is easy to draw from the glass. This is a great bourbon.

MY RATING: 93/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
_{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 Larceny.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon

Posted on 03-January-202228-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon Review:

reviewed 28-December-2021

ELIJAH CRAIG TOASTED BARREL BOURBON REVIEW:

In my opinion, the Elijah Craig line of bourbons from Heaven Hill Distillery is a stalwart representation of the craft. From small batch shelf stock, and bold barrel proofs to Private Barrel Picks and a yet unreviewed 18 Year, their bourbon is no stranger to our home bar. So it was with great anticipation, we popped the cork on our Christmas bottle of Toasted Barrel Bourbon (ECTB). As stated on the label, this is Elijah Craig Small Batch finished in toasted new oak barrels. I am not disappointed and am happy to have another in the bunker.

ELIJAH CRAIG TOASTED BARREL BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in toasted oak barrels
Type: Small Batch Toasted Barrel
Region: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill Bernheim Distillery
Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Barrel entry proof: 125
Age: nas
Non-chill filtered
ABV: 47% (94 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 17913
Price $54.95 (2021 in Idaho)

_{Twice barreled for added complexity, Toasted Barrel takes our award-winning Small Batch Bourbon to new heights. After it’s fully matured, we finish this Bourbon in a second, custom toasted new oak barrel, where it’s left to develop even more sweet oak flavor.}
^{— ElijahCraig.com}

Learn more at https://elijahcraig.com/toasted-barrel.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, alternating pours to equal 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!

NOSE:

ECTB smells warm and inviting. While sweetness dominates the nose, I do get a trace of roasted corn and drying grain along with faint spices of powdered ginger, white pepper and rye. But sweet vanilla infused toasted graham stands out along with candy notes of Milky Way nougat and vanilla taffy. And there’s more — I also get butterscotch and sweet, buttery brown sugar syrup drizzled over toasted pecans. However the woody aromas are faint, simple and gentle even though ‘Toasted Barrel’ is emblazoned the label.

PALATE:

The first sip of ECTB is warm and easy to hold. I sense an herbalness of roasting corn and a few dark dried figs. Spices of dark cinnamon, cloves, and rye are faint as are sweet notes of bittersweet chocolate, some light vanilla, buttery brown sugar and a hint of honeycomb. But now comes the wood, first in the form of bitter hazelnuts, then with plenty of heavy, old oak and toasted barrel char. There’s also some earthy leather here too.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
As I hold ECTB on my palate while taking notes, my salivary glands go into overdrive making the liquid buttery and quite viscous. While the aromas are more sweet, the flavors are more woody … but the blended combination works. After each sip, a heavy sheet clings to the inside of the glass before breaking into fat legs transporting the whiskey back to the deep burnt amber colored pool. The only trace left behind by the sip is a ringed crown with just a few drops.

FINISH:

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel has a warm medium-long finish. There is a bit of lingering roasted corn and grain mixed with dark fig, cloves and rye but other than a hint of dark molasses, the sweetness sensed on the nose and palate is all but gone. The finish is heavy old oak and char forward, but in no way harsh as a bit of leather fades away. And when the last dram is gone, dried oak plywood sawdust and buttered popcorn drifts from the empty Glencairn.

MY RATING: 88/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? 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.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121

Posted on 01-March-202128-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 Review:

23-February-2021

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 BOURBON REVIEW:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 (ECBP A121) drinks below its 123.6 proof and is another fine offering in the ECBP line up. For those of us who enjoy dark oaky bourbon, it works even though A121 is not as sweet as some of its siblings. Its flavor also lacks the fruitiness I’ve come to expect from some ECBP offerings. A small amount of water will help this spirit bloom, yet I enjoy this bourbon neat. I’ll be reaching for this bottle again soon.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Small Batch Barrel Proof
Region: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill/Bernheim Distillery
Mashbill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Barrel entry proof: 125
Age: 12 Years
Non-chill filtered
ABV: 61.8% (123.6 Proof)
Availability: Tri-anual Limited Release
Released): January 2021
Batch: A121
▪”A” First release of the year
▪”1″ Released in January
▪”21″ Released in 2021
Price: $59.99 (2021-Idaho)

Learn more at Heaven Hill Distillery.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, the first 1.4 ounces from the newly opened bottle were poured into our Infinity Bottle Project. Alternate pours into two Glencairns were made to achieve review portions. The bourbon was enjoyed neat with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 NOSE:

ECBP A121 doesn’t waft from the bottle like many bourbons do when the synthetic cork is pulled. But, when I bring the Glencairn to my nose, I get a dry warming bite of roasted corn and dusty grain. I’m also treated to ripe berries, dark cherries, currents, dark plums, and dried dark fruits of raisin, prune and fig as well as spices of white pepper and rye. The first sweets I smell are of yellow cake, chocolate nibs, and vanilla custard, all of which fade to vanilla taffy, buttery brown sugar, and cashew toffee. I don’t pick up much wood on the nose, just a bit of sweet toasted oak and notes of fresh tanned leather.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 PALATE:

The first sip of ECBP A121 is fairly easy to hold, with only a slight tickle to my tongue. When finally swallowed, the sip gives my throat a warm bite. After a good Kentucky Chew, I get a floral potpourri of dried flowers and grassy notes. Sensations of roasted corn and dusty grain are also present in each mouthful. Continued sipping brings on dark currants and dried dark figs which dance with spices of warm ginger and black pepper and dark sweets of dark vanilla, burnt sugar, woody caramel, dark molasses, and dark toffee. And then comes the lumber; bitter walnuts, dry and heavy oak and musty hazy barrel char.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Solid and well blended, ECBP A121 is a rich and oily liquid and yet oddly, without much body. In the Glencairn, long fat legs cling to the glass walls before returning the liquid to the mahogany colored pool. The droplets then fade quickly away.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 FINISH:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 finishes with lingering heat … even a slight bite at the back of the throat. The dried flower and grassy elements sensed in the mouth fade into dusty grain as do the dark dried figs. Warm ginger and rye nearly overpower any burnt woody caramel and dark molasses. The bitter walnut sensed in each sip, fades as dry heavy oak and barrel char dominate the finish.

THE ADDITION OF WATER

Water can often tame big, 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 which can then allow the aromas and flavors to bloom. Therefore water was added to A121 in controlled amounts three evenings after the initial tasting in effort to discover its effect.

I added two drops of distilled water to 1.5 ounces of ECBP A121. Cinnamon now greets the tongue on the first sip and the grassy notes are slightly subdued. The roasted corn and dusty grain as well as the dark fruits remain. The small amount of water seems to enhance ECBP A121’s sweetness. The burnt sugar element is diminished as is the bitterness sensed the initial tasting. Still, the dry and heavy oak and hazy barrel char remain. Two drops of water improved A121.

After the two drop dram was downed, a fresh 1.5 ounce pour of ECBP A121 was made and four drops of distilled water were added. The warm ginger and black pepper I noted a few days back seem to be even more pronounced. The pour remains dark, but distinct flavors noted during the initial tasting have blended and the hazy barrel char seems to dominate the sweetness and fruits. For me, two drops per 1.5 ounces is about right … four drops of water may be a bit much.

MY ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 RATING: 88/100; 90/100 w/ 2 drops of water

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
I am ALWAYS watching for ECBP offerings.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process}_.

When enjoyed NEAT, click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this score.

When enjoyed with water, click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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