Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon

Stronger and spicier than expected

Smooth, Carmel and light smoke

I got a 375ml bottle at Total Wine for $17.99. It's 94 proof, from a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and $12% barley. A Whiskey Magazine color chart comes closest with the designation auburn; I'd call it dark copper. There's no age statement, which since it's a straight bourbon means it's at least four years old (anything less would require an age statement). NOSE: The nose is very complex. It begins with Caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon toast, and continues with a surprising hot chocolate note. Then come bananas, a light mint note, melted butter, pancakes?, Golden Delicious apples, buttercreme icing, and finally a very surprising sweet potato pie. All along this is a warm nose - not alcohol burn, but a very pleasant warmth as of a fire on a winter night. MOUTHFEEL: Very creamy and thick. TASTE: Orange, cinnamon, a pleasant alcohol burn, vanilla icing, honey, brown sugar, and green chile - it's not exactly like green chile, but that's the closest thing I know of to that final spicy, hot note. FINISH: Creamy and long, with notes of orange dream bars, black pepper, a very faint oak, and finally pecans and walnuts. SUMMARY: This is a very fine bourbon. The nose is highly complex, and the taste is less complex but still very good. I'll definitely buy this one again.

Love it. Daily pour!