Elijah Craig - 18 Year Single Barrel (2022)
$149
Elijah Craig – 18 Year Single Barrel
Barrel: 5895 Bottled On: 6-6-22
Proof: 90
Age: 18 Year
Distillery: Elijah Craig Distillery Co. (Heaven Hill)
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Mash: Unknown
Website: Elijah Craig
*Disclaimer: A score of 5 is the midpoint for my reviews. Above 5 I like it. Below 5 I didn’t for some reason. Most of my reviews are between 4-7. It takes something really really special to go above 7 or below 4. See the methodologies for rating at the end of the article
Nose: Rich Vanilla, Damp Oak, and Honey Graham Cracker complimented by Orange Zest and Baking Spices. It’s nose presents a higher octane than the proof.
Taste/Palate: A Warm Oaky start that quickly transitions to sweet Vanilla, Toffee, and Fresh Leather. There’s a little spice that shows up in the midpalate transitioning to the finish.
Finish: The finish features the lingering oak combined with the sweeter characteristics. Caramel, Leather, and Vanilla again. There’s a nutty presence that shows up on the tail of the lingering finish.
Verdict: This is a straight forward traditional bourbon but it’s a bit of a heavy weight due to the extra time aging. This dram won’t surprise you, but it does deliver on the overall experience. The 18 years in the barrel gives it decent complexity, but that complexity was cut down a bit when it was proofed down to 90. It’s probably necessary, I’ve had a 11 year store pick Elijah Craig Barrel proof and I can only imagine what that would have tasted like if it spent 7 more years in the barrel and delivered at barrel proof. $150 is not a small price to pay for a bottle, but an 18 year, Single Barrel, at that price is unheard of nowadays. I have heard that some of the barrels circulating out there are “oak bombs”. This one had a healthy amount of Oak, but it was pleasant, not overpowering. This is a risky and bold product offering. It’s a relatively low proof with a high age statement and there’s no blending to hide a single barrel’s flaws. I can confirm that this is the 2nd time I’ve tried this pour and both were different barrels. I was quite fond of both of them, but there is the chance you land one that isn’t the best. That is a risk with ANY single barrel offering, so no surprises here.
MSRP: I’d purchase this again at $150 Price Ceiling: $200 (The most I’d pay for this bottle)
The Story: I had a pour of this at a bar a few years ago. I really liked it then and I’ve been after a bottle of my own to churn out a review. And here we are. I found this gem and it’s straight to the presses. I can say that this pour is very good and I’m happy with the $150 purchase, but I do think the pour I had 3 years ago was better (to my best recollection).
The Distillery’s Story: “Reverend Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher, an educator, and an entrepreneur who built the first paper and wool mills in Georgetown, Kentucky. But for all his industries, it was his gift as a distiller and an innovator that brought him his greatest acclaim. While we draw inspiration from parts of Elijah Craig’s story as a distiller, a critical component of this history are the enslaved people who made major contributions to Bourbon. Elijah Craig was an enslaver, relying upon enslaved people to run his distilling and broader business operations. Uncovering the identities and roles of these laborers, how they contributed to the birth of the Bourbon industry and the legacy their families left is a critical mission of our brand today. Elijah Craig is actively engaged in academic research with the University of Kentucky’s Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies and Central Kentucky Slavery Initiative, as well as other initiatives, to not only share a more transparent and inclusive account of our past, but to also make America today a more just and equitable country.”
About this particular bottle: “Bottled solely from the contents of one expertly chosen barrel, this expression of Elijah Craig is the pinnacle of Bourbon craftsmanship. Bold, robust, and incredibly complex, 18-Year-Old presents a rare and unique opportunity to sip some of the oldest Bourbon in Kentucky.”
Methodologies for Rating:
1. Dump it down the drain or regift it to someone you don’t care for.
2. This doesn’t even belong in a mixed drink. Use in case of an emergency.
3. It’s really not for me, but I heard some people like it.
4. Its only good when I’ve had too many and it’s decent in a mixer.
5. Average. Not bad, but not special.
6. Above average. Good to bring to an event and you wouldn’t expect any guff from it.
7. Buy two if you see it to make sure you have one on reserve.
8. Very Very good. Constantly a GREAT POUR.
9. Superb. If I were to drink this and only this from now on I’d be a happy person.
10. Perfection is impossible. But this really comes as close as you can possibly get.
Reviewer: David S
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