For years I unsuccessfully tried to secure a bottle of Elijah Craig 18. Then around Thanksgiving of 2021, I saw a bottle behind the bar at West End Tavern on Pearl Street in Boulder, CO. It was nearly empty, and I was given the remainder of the bottle, even though it was slightly more than the typical pour. I spent the next 45 minutes savoring it. Earlier this year I was able to find a bottle saved for me by the manager at my local shop. I've enjoyed it on a couple of occasions, only with friends who I know would appreciate it (including said manager). Clear pale mahogany in color. The nose shows baking, fruity, and woody notes: Honey-Nut Cheerios, blueberry, apple pie, rosin, nutmeg, vanilla, and clove, finishing with a subtle menthol. These descriptors continue on the palate, along with drying tannins that lead to a long vanilla-highlighted finish. Overall, this is a sophisticated, subtle, and restrained pour which is not unlike modern nonrepresentational art in its aesthetic, in that some prior knowledge is required to bolster the appreciation. It is not ostentatious. Tasted blind, a connoisseur could detect an aged bourbon, but armed with the understanding of a bourbon that has aged for 18 years surely elicits a deeper investigation and appreciation. 4.5 on the Distiller scale. My only reservation is that EC18 isn't bottled at a higher proof. But the cutting with water might not only be an economic decision; because it has been in the barrel for 18 years, EC18 does have woody notes that perhaps benefit from some dilution. Barrel 5863, bottled 6.2.22. 45% ABV. N.B.: Tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.