Tastes

This bourbon is better than I remember. It's fairly mild, smooth, and easy drinking. Just moderatly sweet, it has some nice rye notes that I've really come to enjoy in bourbon. I get some tea leave notes and corn sweetness. Not overly oaky, and not too bitter on the finish. Nothing too complex or mind blowing here, it's just a good solid bourbon. Glad I decided to give this one another try.

When I grabbed this bottle I didn't realize that it bore a 12 year age statement, so that was a nice surprise. As I have noticed with almost every version of Elijah Craig I've tried, the nose on the barrel proof is so sweet. It's a wonderful mix of brunt caramel and vanilla. On the palate there's a brown sugar sweetness, and a nice smokey char flavor. I don't pick up much in the way of spice. Most of the heat comes from the proof, but it's nice and warming, not harsh. The finish is oak, leather, and a hint of dark chocolate. It's a long finish that's slightly bitter sweet.

There's a lot going on here with this bourbon. There's a fruity burst as it hits the tongue. I get sweet bubble gum and maybe banana. It has a briney boiled peanut note and and a bit of a spicy bite. I feel this is one of the more complex bourbons I've tried, and every pour I seem to find a new flavor profile. I've used the word robust to describe this one previously, and it's very fitting. This is a highly enjoyable bourbon if you can find it at a decent price.