Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch A124

NEAT NOSE - Prominent cherry notes supported by subtle hints of caramel and oak. Not very complex, but a pleasant nose overall. PALATE - Caramel and iak dominate the palate with the cherry coming on the back end and finish. The most dissapointing part of this batch is the mouthfeel, as it isn’t as viscous and coating as some of the others. Regardless, it’s still a somid batch at a great price. FINISH - Cherry soaked oak with a kick of spice. Medium in length. BUY? - Yes, but not a pass that you’d regret. BUY AGAIN? - While enjoyable, I wouldn’t back up this batch.

Tastes earthy like grass and bark. This is bad

Notes of orange blossom, vanilla, and caramel. Not as oaky as some other bourbons. Not a lot of oak on the palette, either, but sweet and floral tasting. Very good.

I agreed that A124 is not the best ECBP release. But I’m about halfway through the bottle, and I am also continuing to sip A123 and B523. Although they are different, the A124 is not a catastrophe for the brand as some would suggest, because I find each of them pleasurable in their own way and still generally embodied the ECBP profile.

Color: Medium Copper-Amber. Nose: Mmm! Molasses or maple(?) I can never pin-point it. Something akin to "citrus". Slightest hint of "alcohol". Great nose that bodes well for the palate... Palate: From the first sip, you get quite a big hit of spice... yes... very spice-forward, this one. Comes in slightly hotter than some higher proofs I've had. Mild chest hug ensues, but fades fairly quickly. Mildly sweet... getting a decent amount of barrel char. I've always been more of a fan of "sweet" over "spicy". But I'm rather enjoying this. It's very woody/spicy. Almost "bitter", but not in an off-putting way. Waiting for the profile to reveal more as the ice melts into it, but it's maintaining it's spice-forward character. Let's see what pour #2 might bring with it... Pour #2 starts out pretty similar to the first. Still a spice bomb. I'd read others mention, "butterscotch", but I'm not getting that — not tonight at least. There's not been much "evolution" to speak of from the second pour. So maybe this one is not going to change. Finish: I'd say it's a medium finish with the predominant spice stealing the show. Final Thoughts: Ok. This is a tricky one. EC has never let me down in the past. Along with the 94 Proof "base model", I've had the B522, B523, and the heralded C923. I've dug them all. I'm going to say this is "good". I'm not wowed by it, but I'm also not going to disparage it, either. Knowing what I know now, would I spend more than the wholly reasonable price I paid for it? No. I actually got it for less than what I've seen it go for. So thst alone makes it a worthwhile purchase. Will be curious to see if it does ultimately evolve and "open up" with subsequent pours. But as of tonight, it gets a 3.75. Added 8/24: I am nearly finished with my bottle of A124. I've quite enjoyed the four glasses I have poured myself tonight. It's a very "robust" bourbon. There are flavors in its profile that I can't really specify without just throwing something out there for the sake of trying to. "Spice" and "Oak" are the main features here. It's a fine batch, and I'm bumping my original 3.75 up to 4.0.

Its got a more oaky wood and bitter nose. Taste is sweeter with cherry dry vanilla and lasts a solid 15 seconds leaning into a more dry less sweet and spicy cinnamon bread. Ends with a apple syrupy punch. Below average for an ECBP, but enjoyable overall. I’ll enjoy this for what it is but will be looking forward to the next release.

It took me forever to fine an ECBP but I finally found one at my local Total Wine for $80. Right off the bat the nose gives off rich oatmeal, cinnamon, and vanilla. Full bodied and reminds me of a sugar cookie from Great American Cookies. Flavor-wise it’s incredibly rich and buttery with a bit of pleasant funkiness initially. Notes of baking spice and a hint of oak at the end finish it off leading to a clean finish. This drinks much smoother and sweeter than the proof and although this batch got mixed reviews online it’s a home run in my book. Very pleased with this one for $80 and worth the wait.

4.1