Hannah’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 Review
Original review written March 10, 2020
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 Review: A bourbon I hadn’t had in a while, I forgot how much I enjoy this, with spiciness and baking sweets consistently making me excited for the next sip. 90/100
VITALS:
– Made: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: 12 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Corn=75%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=12%
– Casks: undisclosed char
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed
– ABV: 66.7% (133.4 proof)
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho
Visit heavenhill.com for more information
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this bourbon here!
SETTING:
This bourbon makes me want to visit the salt flats in the Andes Mountain Range – light and free, but simultaneously deep and rich. The air is cool, but charged and the world’s wonders seem impossible to contemplate in such a pure atmosphere.
Photo by Christopher Crouzet on Unsplash
NOSE:
I’m met with a velvety soft, sugary warmth that screams bourbon right off the bat. Gentle caramel and black pepper combine with a roasted corn-on-the-cob element, with the alcohol surprisingly not being too aggressive.
There’s a little bit of maybe grapefruit, but it’s barely there, and I struggle to sense any other fruits. I can pull brown sugar, graham crackers, maple and perhaps vanilla taffy. Oak is here too, but I’d say that it’s a bit masked by all of these baking-esque flavors.
PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: This is very oily and viscous, perhaps among the most oily bourbons I have ever tasted, which is certainly impressive.
– Balance: Only the slightest bit heavy on salt. Otherwise, this is a solid blend.
– Visual: Burnt amber in color, and the numerous thick legs drop pretty quickly.
– Taste: The alcohol hits hard initially; however, it is quickly overtaken by a grassy sensation that then melts into cherries. The grassy aspect has a black pepper influence to it that makes it interesting.
I find rye, both as a raw grain and also as a yeasty bread that could have some dried fruits (fig?) embedded in it. In this sense, B518 seems quite hardy and something I’d like to munch on.
I get a nuttiness as well, maybe like cashews – salted at that, as there is a mouth-watering component here akin to how I’d feel after eating some potato chips (obviously just the sensation – not the flavor).
The cherries have not faded, and they mix well with fresh cut oak still retaining its moisture.
As for baking sweets mentioned from the nose, I can taste mostly just light maple syrup and brown sugar. The vanilla and caramel are a bit more subdued now, but nevertheless, these flavors make for an enjoyable pour!
A Kentucky chew kicks the black pepper and saltiness into high gear, which solidifies the aged and intense character of this bourbon.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Definitely long, with the spices and warmth both contributing to a lingering sensation in my mouth and chest. It CAN come back unexpectedly to give you an unwanted and powerful Kentucky hug, so be careful!
– Between Sips: Saltiness, cherries, oak and black pepper wait at the end of each sip, and I have nothing to complain about.
– No More: The bourbon becomes a solid warmth with only hints of spices and cherry flavors the further into the glass I get. It could be more flavorful, I suppose, but I never mind a traditional feel-good bourbon warmth.
The empty Glencairn is an unassuming oak that is aged and full of warmth and with a story all of its own to tell.
COMPARISON NOTES:
I experimented with this bourbon a bit, and pit it up against other tri-annual iterations of Barrel Proof batches: A118 and C917. B518 was my second favorite, with C917 being my favorite of the three.
WORTH THE PRICE?
I think that $60 is a fair price for this bourbon, but I’m hesitant to say that it is worth being priced much higher. It may be difficult to find now (2020); however, if you are able to find it, I do recommend the purchase.
RATING: 90/100
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