Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B521 Bourbon Review:
reviewed on 21-September-2021
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B521 BOURBON REVIEW:
When Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B521 (ECBP B521) first hit store shelves, it didn’t get a lot of love from many internet reviewers. We’ve had it on our shelf for a while now, and it is up for review. Is it the best Elijah Craig Barrel Proof ever to pass my lips — No. But it is a solid, well blended bourbon just the same. B521’s 118.2 Proof is not assertive and the fruity aromas and sweet flavors are easy to discern. In fact, this is a nice gateway bourbon for anyone wanting to try high proof whiskey. If I see another on the shelf, I will be adding the bottle to my bunker.
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B521 BOURBON VITAL STATS:
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: 59.1% (118.2 Proof)
Availability: Tri-anual Limited Release
Release Date: May 2021
Batch number identifier: B521
▪”B” Second release of the year
▪”5″ Released in May
▪”21″ Released in 2021
NABCA CSC* Product Number: 17917
Price: $69.99 (2021-Idaho)
To learn more click Heaven Hill Brands and *National Alcohol Beverage Control Association Control State Code.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces, were added 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 B521 BOURBON NOSE:
ECBP B521 has a wonderful nose. There is no burn whatsoever, which belies its high proof. The whiskey is slightly herbal, with notes of roasted sweet corn and dried grains. Still, fruit dominates the aroma. I sense subtle berry nectar, prepared apples for pie, apricots, Maraschino cherries, plums, and a satisfying hint of fresh citrus. Sprinkled over these fruits are spices of cinnamon, white pepper, and rye along with a bit of sweet vanilla which for me is more reminiscent of taffy than the extract. Other sweets tempting the nose include brown and maple sugar. Any woodiness is fleeting and can be sensed as slivered almonds taken from an oak snacking bowl. B521 is light and gentle and is without the tingle other high proof bourbons often have.
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B521 BOURBON PALATE:
The first sip of ECBP B521 has a touch of heat but my mouth acclimates quickly and whiskey can be easily held. Herbal, roasted sweet corn mix with berry nectar, faint notes of cherry, and ripe juicy plums. B521’s spices of cinnamon, candied ginger, and black pepper mingle with light vanilla, and sweets of simple syrup, brown sugar caramel, honey and a trace of pecan. What little wood can be tasted the comes in as drying oak staves waiting to be fit into barrels. This bourbon sips much softer than one might expect from a 118.2 Proof whiskey.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
The aromas and flavors are well blended. If there is fault to B521, it would be the lack of an oaky foundation I find in other Elijah Craig Barrel Proof offerings. The mouth acclimates quickly and a pleasant creaminess coats the mouth similar to how it appears inside the Glencairn. After each sip, a long lasting veil breaks into medium long legs providing liquid pathways for the dregs to find their way back to the terracotta colored pool. No crown forms as the legs disappear.
ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF B521 BOURBON FINISH:
The back of my throat feels almost hot after each sip. The finish is the only reminder Elijah Craig Small Batch Barrel Proof B521 is a high proof bourbon. Faint notes of cherry mingle with spices of cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and rye in the heat. And sweets of light vanilla, simple syrup, and the remembrance of pecans fade into hazy barrels of this dram’s simple finish. As the Glencairn is empties, light and faint drying oak treats the nose.
MY RATING: 87/100
Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bourbons are always on my radar. Unless an batch is already well represented in my bunker, I’ll buy another.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
Click 87/100 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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Thank you David Guenette for including exerpts of this review in your article.
– Brian Dawson