Elijah Craig Barrel Proof - A121

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121

The Basics: 

Heaven Hill Distillery

123.6 Proof

12 Year Age Statement

$70 MSRP

Nose:

Raspberry jam, pomegranate, dark brown sugar, leather, and currants.

Palate: 

Heavy charred oak, maraschino cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, red Starbursts, and light spearmint.

Finish:

Long finish with strong leather, oak, candied raspberries, and cherry.

Final Thoughts:

For those of us who try to buy every ECBP release, the A batch of each year tends to be the one the falls a bit short in comparison to the others. The neck pour was as expected, with a good dose of ethanol, and the classic Heaven Hill nuttiness (not to be confused with Jim Beam nuttiness). However, once I let the bottle breathe for a little over a week the flavor profile completely changed. From the nose to the finish, this whiskey was full of red stone fruits, oak, leather, and delicious baking spices. As a massive ECBP fan-girl, I am always going to be biased to these releases. They pack a punch, are full of flavor, and are fairly priced for the exceptional quality of whiskey. While this is not on the same level as the C920, you don’t need me to tell you that you should still grab a bottle at retail any day of the week.