Elijah Craig Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon (Private Label)

VA ABC Private Barrel. Barrel 6294520. 102.1 proof. 10 years old. This barrel has a lot less vanilla than other single barrel/barrel proof EC bottles Ive had. I am usually a huge fan of the EC barrel proofs but this one wasnt overly impressive, especially for $90.

Bull City Bourbon Club pick, "Ten From The Bullpen" Barrel No. 6179022 Warehouse Q; Floor 2 Age - 10 years 57.95% abv; 115.9 proof Open 2.5 months Nose - Creme brulee, vanilla cake, peanut butter, dark chocolate, cantaloupe, graham cracker, medium oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Reese's, blueberry muffin, cocoa nibs, gingerbread, grilled peaches, and cinnamon. Finish is medium-long with pleasant oak spice, brown sugar, black pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cocoa powder, and light ethanol. The lowest proof ECBP I've had, but still delightful. It has a lot in common with some of the lower proof ECBP batches I've enjoyed like C921 and B522. These "low" proof ECBPs are dangerously easy to drink compared to MGP cask strength bourbons at similar proofs. Heaven Hill does such a good job aging these to the point that the graininess is gone and the oak barrel does not overpower the sugars and fruits. For me, any ECBP pick is a must buy, even at $80.

Nose is sweet and rich like a cinnamon caramel apple pastry. Palate brings more of the same with leather and tobacco. The tobacco, cinnamon and apple linger on the finish. Gomer’s private barrel. 10 years old, 131 proof.

Get the tasting notes and smoothness like Old Forester 1910. So vanilla and oak. But you get the spearmint and spice that levels the hug at the end. Similar to Wild Turkey Rare Breed as well. Great smooth pour neat and with a rock.

ELIJAH CRAIG PRIVATE BARREL SHOWDOWN Total Wine Private Barrel Distiller Selection (TWPB) ------------------------------------------------------------------ 8-year age statement Barrel Serial # 6653214 120.7 proof Vs. Bevmax Private Barrel (BVPB) -------------------------------------- 9-year age statement Barrel serial # 6205648 127.7 proof TWPB Pantone 160 in color. Nose of BBQ sauce, bacon, maple syrup, brown sugar, and a dusty element, along with some gentle, cooling spearmint. Heat not at all apparent on the nose, but that changes dramatically on the palate, where everything is amplified. Lots of spice leads to a longish finish with notes of vanilla. The overall impression is disjointed, like a gangly teenager or big-pawed puppy yet to fill out its frame. 3.5 on the Distiller scale. BVPB Pantone 167; more russet than the TWPB. Completely different nose: far smoother, with buttered maple-syruped pancakes, pomander, crème brûlée. On the palate, there is some sweet corn; the 127.7 proof is noticeable, but is more integrated than the lower-proof TWBP, and is more reminiscent of the elder 12-year-old Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (ECBP) releases, but not quite as intense and smooth in general. 4.0 on the Distiller scale. This "showdown" is something of an apples-to-oranges comparison, even though both are Elijah Craig private barrels. Two different barrels, two different age statements, two different selectors. While the 9-year-old in this case (BVPB) is superior to the 8-year-old (TWPB), I have no way of knowing if the difference is a function of age alone. Normal ECBP releases are bottled at 12 years of age, and neither of these are in the class of the typical ECBP release. If anything, this comparison underscores the variability that is apparent between single barrels and single years. The difference is significant. The economic aspect to the distillers also cannot be ignored: who knows what the process of barrel selection actually is? Has Heaven Hill set aside the dregs, and packaged them in a marketing ploy of "pick the best one as you see fit?" We may never know. What we do know is that barrels and years are two of many variables that make a significant difference. N.B.: All spirts tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.