Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon

After reading such high reviews of this I lucked out and stumbled across a bottle at my local ABC store, which almost never gets any of this. The bottle I purchased was batch C918 and it’ s a little over 131 proof. I payed $60 USD. Damn. This is a very good bourbon. VERY good. The nose is sweet - I get vanilla, sweet corn, baking spices, cake frosting, and oak. Maybe a little molasses. The alcohol is definitely there but not overpowering like I was expecting. That being said, it’s 131 proof so don’t go nose diving unless you need to trim back some nose hairs. Being a 12 year bourbon, the oak was not too heavy, but rounded out the nose perfectly. The taste. Oh, the taste. It mirrors the palate perfectly. I tried it neat first, which seems suicidal at 131 proof but my goodness how can a 131 proof bourbon be so smooth? Perfect for a cold winter night, the warmth overtakes you like a cozy blanket in front of a nice crackling fire. Perfect. I then added a small piece of ice. The gradual melting of the ice peels back layer after layer of flavor. What a dram. I’m going to savor this bottle for a long time. If you came a cross a bottle, buy it. I’m not one to pay $60 on a bourbon I haven’t tried, and I honestly can’t justify it in many cases. This was a splurge. And it was one of the best bourbon purchases I have made. At $60, it is a steal. I have never tried the other ECBP batches so have nothing to compare to but it’s better than any bourbon I have enjoyed. Addendum: Just bought a bottle of A119. It's a blazing 135 proof. The heat on this one is a lot less friendly than C918. The palate is still excellent but not as complex as C918. I'd still rate this one a 4.25/5. Perhaps with a little time the heat will be more tame.

Batch B519. Bought 12/2018

Very intense but also alcoholic neat. With water, you get that full-bodied richness and sweetness and a hint of bitterness on the palate. 92