Elijah Craig Single Barrel Private Barrel – Total Wine

Made me rethink are ECBPS always worth the hype?

DISTILLERY	Heaven Hill
REGION	Bardstown, Kentucky
AGE	9 Years – Rickhouse: II – Floor: 4 – Barrel Serial No: 6639998
STRENGTH	47% ABV (94 Proof)
MASHBILL	78 % corn, 10 % rye and 12 % malted barley
MSRP	$34

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GLANCE

Clear with a nice caramel hue. Medium intensity

NOSE

Rich fudge, oak, rich vanilla and brown sugar with roasted cashews. Got notes of oatmeal drizzled with honey. Dark chocolate notes with fresh cookie dough. The oak and leather stay strong in the background. Clean with pronounced intensity.

PALATE

Medium sweetness overall with watery texture. Flavor intensity is at a medium +. Stronger intensity of flavors towards the front of the palate. Vanilla, oak enter first then followed with grapes, jamun fruit, pear with notes of strawberry, light caramel. Some caramelization with brown sugar, milk chocolate, and french toast in the middle of the palate. Fresh oak presence in the background.

FINISH

Medium in length overall with some complexity. Though during a few sips the finish extended longer. Oak, grains/cereals, bread and jamun notes

CLOSING REMARKS

I hadn’t revisited a regular proof SB from Elijah Craig in a while. When I was at Total Wine recently to grab some Campari and other things for cocktails, I took a stroll down the bourbon aisle and grabbed this on the whim. Had no expectations when I bought it but knew I would at least like it, since I am a Heaven Hill fan. Little did I know, this will prove to be a delightful surprise. What a treat this single barrel is! The nose is rich with some amazing aromas and that keep enticing you to nose it for longer. On the palate I was surprised with the heavier fruit forward flavors but they tied in well with the classic heaven hill profile. This is a pour that I have come back to multiple times and it punches way above its weight, and it delivers a lot for the cost of admission. A great example of the power of single barrel and that too at regular strength. Cheers!