HowlingatNothing
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed
February 21, 2016 (edited May 6, 2016)
Thank you Heaven Hill for ruining a great product. At least Makers Mark listened to what their dedicated customers were saying and backed out of reducing the proof. You have proven you don't care what your customers have to say. BRING BACK THE TRUE 12! I'm done with you until you do. //// The only redeeming aspect is this mixes well. I just finished mine by making damn fine bourbon smashes and mint juleps.
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I'm impressed! You were able to tell the difference between this and 12? I couldn't. I'm guessing they'll slowly phase out any remnants of the 12 in there though, and go much younger
Yes, what you have is a 12 year bottle. The NAS looks exactly the same but it doesn't have that sentence on the back about 12 year aging.
I recently bought a bottle of the "small batch" and it still has the 12 year age statement on the back. As far as I can tell there is no difference in this from the old 12 year stated on the front of the bottle. Although I have seen some bottles of the NAS without the age statement on the back so idk. Maybe I got lucky and got one of the few.
It's still salvageable with some mint & lemon in a smash, or maybe even an old fashioned, but I won't make the same mistake twice. Once this bottle is gone, I'm never buying it again.
The 12 year was possibly the best value bottle on the market. Big oak flavors, Vanilla, caramel butterscotch. Personally I love oak so it was fantastic for $30. Now, the influence of the younger whiskey has practically removed the oak and it's very tannic. I originally thought it may appeal to those that aren't big oak fans like I am, but you'd have to be the type to like the smell of nail polish remover to enjoy this.
Haven't tried this since it went NAS. What is different that ruined it?