Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch C921

Neck pour is a little hot but the vanilla finish is amazing. Stays for a good amount of time too

Deep copper color. The nose has heavy vanilla, dark cherries, honey, Dr Pepper cola, charred cinnamon stick and sweet oak. Heavy-bodied mouthfeel. The palate is oaky and spicy, dominated up front by the sweet oak, then vanilla bean, cinnamon stick and ground nutmeg, with hints of cherry cola, roasted peanuts, leather, black pepper and bittersweet chocolate sprinkled with sea salt. The finish is medium-long and hot, again dominated by the oak but more dry and tannic than the palate, with more baking spices and a little leather.

This lacks compared to some of the other batches from 2020 and 2021, but it's still great - well above average. Some of those other batches just set the bar so high.

Very nice taste. I get a sweet caramel and spice balance. I also get a clover note. Drinks much smoother that it’s proof.

On the nose it has butterscotch, oak and caramel. On the pallet I am getting a good solid clove with little bitterness. Absolutely no ethanol. After, warmth from the clovey cinnamon. But no horrendous burn.