Tastes

First rye I’ve owned Nose: strong acetone right after the pour. After letting it rest for 5 minutes, I get brown sugar, light chocolate. Acetone smell is still there. Last note I get is a heavy bread (the rye). Taste: brown sugar, chocolate again (but darker than the nose), banana, spice (both from the proof and the rye). It’s a hot sip. It’s a longer finish than I was expecting at the price. The longer I let it sit with me the more the chocolate shines through.

This is a tasting of Elijah Craig Small Batch Single Barrel selected by Virginia ABC in 2020. Barrel 6 Barrel serial number: 5711853 Rickhouse: T Floor: 6 Seems to be darker in color than the regular ECSB. Nose is bright with hints of tobacco. Stronger oak and apple note on the nose too. Taste is heavy on the oak with vanilla, a little bit of spice, and cinnamon as the sip ends. The finish is nice. Medium length with a comfortable mouthfeel. This tastes like the barrel was on the older side of the 8-12 years ECSB barrels are aged. I would guess 11 year old barrel.

Lots of spice and heat with vanilla behind it. Easy to sip at a higher proof

Maple on the nose. Palate gives me lots of vanilla with dark, deep, red fruits. Finish is peppery spice

Spicy and extremely fruity. I got berries on nose and palate.

Extremely simple. Not much on the nose except sweetness. Goes down without much of anything interesting. You can taste some vanilla, mostly just corn though, but it’s not a good sipper. Just mix with it and make decent drinks. That’s really all it’s good for

Nose: chocolate milk, a little bit of vinegar, dark fruit, oak. There’s also a strong sweet BBQ note the longer you let it sit with you. Taste: smooth, but has more character on the back end. The chocolate is still there, but now it’s darker. Prominent oak barrel note as the name suggests. Finish is medium length. It’s good. Closing your eyes and tasting takes you to a barrel room for sure. The BBQ note on the nose is amazing.

Strong pepper note

Leather and honey sweetness. Brinier than the 12, but exact same mouthfeel

Honey and wood on the nose. I also get some sawdust and wood shop floor. Taste gives me honey again, starts sweet and turns sour. I like it a lot. My first scotch. I’m used to Irish Whiskey, but this is very interesting to explore.