Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch C923

A lot tasting notes have already been discussed. My review is simple. This is one of the best bourbons I have tasted, and after taking a drink, I will sometimes realize the finish has stayed with me for a VERY long time. BTAC bottles beat it out, but not by alot.

Caveat up front is I've had this a few times, but finally cracking mine open at home...so let's rate this (I already know wonderful) neck pour... Pours a reddish amber that tries to show off some of its age...its a nice looking bourbon, but let's be fair, that's not what's garnering the lofty reviews... So moving onto the nose...did someone swap out some long-aged Parker's Heritage and put it in my glass? Am I nosing some George T. Stagg? Holy heck this is glorious...both bold and delicate simultaneously. Ripe berries, caramel, about a perfect dose of oaky tannin, vanilla bean, and an almost wine-like character...with nary a speck of ethanol. I mean, while I think a challenge of guessing the ABV based on the nose would be preposterous (if not kind of fun), I would probably peg this as BiB level or less...and would be absolutely dumbfounded to find this is 133 proof. I'll say this - the nose is all but flawless...and I literally enjoyed the scents for 15 minutes before moving onto the first sip. The palate just continues the ride...and what a ride it is. Before getting into individual tastes, I found it fascinating how the taste just explodes upon sip, then eases back sharply before warming into a long, constantly warming, finish. A preposterous amount of caramel is met by warm berries, creme brulee, a splash of roasted coffee bean, chocolate, vanilla, more dark fruits, but blackberry/raspberry like, and again, about the perfect amount of charred oak - the barrel presence is something I'm harping on, for good reason. I'll sum up the flavor - 'damn!' This is as easy drinking as 133 proof could possibly be...just a skosh of initial ethanol burn and an incredibly amble sipper. Water you ask? Unnecessary, and if anything detracts from an already pristine experience. Quite possibly the best value I've ever received from a bottle purchase...there's nothing I can find as a fault to keep this from a firewall 5, particularly given the price point.