Elijah Craig Small Batch is a pretty great bourbon from Heaven Hill. This "Small Batch" release replaces the former 12 yr. release with a blend of 8-12 year old juice. While my impressions of this bourbon are very good, judging from the various reviews and comments I've read about the 12 yr. it must have been pretty special. The nose of this is pretty complex in my opinion. First impressions are of caramel, but a fairly strong alcohol burn prevents getting much more until it has set in the glass a while. It took a good 20 minutes for the alcohol to fade. When it did it revealed spicy oak, dark fruits, mint, and an odd bright floral tone I can't quite put my finger on. The palate is simpler and a little hot with oak, spice, caramel, and vanilla. It has a thick mouthfeel that gives way to a fairly long, dry, oaky finish. Overall this is a very good bourbon especially considering the sub-$30 price. It's an nice sipper and strong enough to handle some ice. Also makes a damn fine Old Fashioned. 4.25. Cheers!