Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Bourbon

Here I am, in a not-too-dissimilar situation as my last note on EC18: after having written a few wine reviews post-dinner, I was in the mood for some bourbon, and I reached for this. I was not disappointed (except for the lack of cookies in the pantry). As was the case with my prior review, my first sensation was coconut. Not a "whiff"; not the 8th in a series of 12 descriptors; but an honest-to-goodness, I've-been-hit-on-the-head-by-a-bowling-ball-from-a-palm-tree coconut. Coconut is followed by vanilla--both from 18 years in hot Kentucky oak, of course--along with cinnamon, caramel, some cherry, a little cocoa. The silver lining of the dark cloud that has hung over the bourbon industry of late is the consumer's ability to find many whiskies that were previously unavailable in the marketplace, except at wildly inflated secondary prices. Four years ago, I'd never seen EC18 in the wild. My first glass was at a bar in Boulder, CO around 2021. It could be had for $300-350 and up at the time online. Then it started showing up in stores, and the price started falling: $299, $279, $229, $199...I've now seen it for $169. Don't get me wrong: $169 isn't cheap. But if you assume ~12 glass from a 750ml bottle, that works out to $14.08 per pour--real money, but a pittance compared to what you'd pay in a bar. Come on, help a brother out! I'm doing my best to justify this. But I'm enjoying it while I am, regardless.

"Anything worth doing is worth overdoing:" and so it goes with proofs in whiskey. I'm a proof snob, I admit. In Texas I've heard my ex say, "the bigger the hair, the closer to God"--and the same metaphor can be applied to proof. Higher proofs are holier. In whiskey, if alcohol is an angel, then water is the devil. I've waxed prolix on the economics-focused distillers of any spirit that dilute to the 80-proof minimum. It's not as if there's some magical line where dilution produces the best-tasting spirit. (Side note: I've questioned before why distillers don't come out with multiple "dilutions" for their whiskies: while many now do offer two variants--a lower one and a higher or barrel-proof one--I'm not aware of anyone who offers multiple proofs of the same whiskey. Why a single dichotomy? Give the imbibing public different levels: 80, 95, 110, 125, etc.). All of that as a contextual prelude to my predilection for this proof-humble 45% ABV whiskey: It is damn good. It's a pleasant respite from having to "warm up" your palate for the high-proof (but pure) intensity of lower dilution; a 90-proof whiskey just goes down easy, all else being equal. I've been doing far more wine reviews than whiskey reviews over the past several months. Tonight I reviewed a couple of high-end Cali pinots, and then wanted a couple cookies, and I thought "bourbon!" And then I thought "Elijah Craig 18!" Fortunately I had both on-hand. Taste is context. It's in large part a function of what's been in your mouth over the past couple of hours. So in this particular case, it was leftover Boeuf Bourguignon, the two of the aforementioned Pinots, and then the cookies--followed by the bourbon. And immediately I got coconut. Now coconut as an aroma or taste is common from the presence of oak (which this bourbon gets 18 years of before bottling). In prior reviews I've noted vanilla and oak, but never coconut. So...nose shows coconut, along with classic bourbon notes of caramel, vanilla, peach, and separately, oak itself (if you've ever been around freshly split oak, you'll know the smell instantly). There's a cool tone which is faint black licorice (or in spirts-speak, a dash of Pernod), followed by focused espresso, vanilla bean, and more caramelized sugar on the long finish. Which brings me back to water dilution: @BDanner mentioned in his review on 3/30/26 "While purists may balk at adding water to a 90 proof pour of this age and price, I recommend trying it." And so I did. Heading to the kitchen with my (second) pour in a Glencairn glass, I turned on the faucet, let the cold water run over my hand, and let a few drops drip into my sacrosanct vessel of purity. I swirled. I nosed. And I'm not quite sure I noticed much different. Let the record show that I am an utter neophyte when it comes to adding a few drops of water to whisk(e)y. I very well could have done it incorrectly. But it's all about trying new things, right?

ELIJAH CRAIG 18YR BARREL: 7653 BOTTLED: 11/11/25 APPEARANCE: Rich, Dark Color bordering between 1.7 Burnt Umber and 1.8 Old Oak. Clingy with slow forming skinny legs. NOSE: Wonderful Nose of Cinnamon, Brown Sugar, Clove, Vanilla Buttercream, and Toasted Oak. Very well balanced. NEAT: Initial tiny sips over the front of the tongue yields Sawdust, Old Oak, and Light Vanilla. Full sips bring out Light Bitter Tannins, Old Oak, Cinnamon, and Cherry Syrup. There is a dense coating mouthfeel that leaves dark notes of Musty Oak, Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans, and Vanilla Coke. Nice warming KYHug and layering notes of Cinnamon, Clove, and Sawdust. That Musty Oak stays on the palate long after your done with the Dram. SPLASH: A dribble of water adds a little Butterscotch and Toffee to both nose and Palate and almost completely eliminates the slight tannic bitterness. In fact, the whole experience becomes a bit sweeter and brighter. Am I tasting Root Beer? There is almost a Floral Quality added to the coating finish now. Well done Heaven Hill. VERDICT: While purists may balk at adding water to a 90 proof pour of this age and price, I recommend trying it. It gives two unique experiences. Sometimes the Whiskey Gods just smile upon you as I walked into a nearby ABC to find a single bottle. And on payday, no less! I hope another bottle is in my future as this is a great Bourbon.

This is a single barrel so can vary profiles but the most recent i had wasnt as oak heavy as the others. Def get that oak upfront but with subtle baking spice lilttle sweet oak and caramel. Very smooth. Good to see the price coming down

It's very good. Very strong Vanilla which makes sense after 18 years. I'm a huge Elijah Craig fan and this one doesn't disappoint. However, if you want a better bang for your buck, I think a good barrel proof single barrel will bring you the best value in the lineup.