Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon

Sharp front, slight kick at the end, not sweet, not harsh, hot

I had a pour of their latest release, B518, during a one day quick Chicago business trip. This is the 12 yr old, taken to cask strength full flavor. Each batch varies, but they’re all supposedly good to amazing. I’ve had previously two other EC barrel proof releases, one courtesy of @Dreaming-of-Islay, the other from a bottle I bought. Both excellent. But this beats those two. Hands down this has now taken the top spot for my favorite bourbon, which was previously held by the 2016 Four Roses LESB. At a mere $60-80, to me this is a no-brainer buy, rather than chasing the Four Roses LESBs, or the BTACs. This is inches away from being a hazmat warning, clocking at nearly 135ABV. You get the firepower, but surprisingly none of the heat and burn. It’s all buttercream and vanilla frosting. It’s thick and creamy...almost like they put in full fat cream into the vatting. Only once I made the claim of “you gotta buy this”, and that was for the Brora 30yr old, specifically targeted to the whisky connoisseur ...but this at $69.99 is a must buy for the general masses that love bourbon. (the price I paid. As soon as I finished my pour, I bought it immediately online).

B518 is the best whiskey I have ever tasted. Amazing stuff. Even at 133 proof, little to no burn. Deep Amber. Nose for days.