Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 2020 Face-Off

It’s that time of year! Time to try all three Elijah Craig Barrel Proof offerings from this year in a blind, head-to-head battle for high-proof supremacy.

This is the first year I have a website to post this on, and I’m thrilled that I’m tasting three batches that on their own are all solid pours. Reminds me of 2018 when I first started drinking ECBP, rather than 2019 which was below par for the brand.

Now, tasting them UN-blind, B520 blew the others out of the park: C920 was solid and A120 was close behind it, but B520 was just incredible. Nose, mouthfeel, palate, finish, everything clicked.

Let’s set the scene for today: It’s November 1st, it’s kind of an icky day out. I just poured 17 samples for friends and will pour 10 more after I do this, so it’s been a whiskey-centric day. My primary whiskey group, the New Jersey Bourbon & Yacht Club - which is not based in NJ and for which there is no yacht - just got our Four Roses pick in and while I haven’t tried it yet, let’s say the early reviews have been positive. Positive in the way that young children are positive they will like Christmas and positive in the way you’re positive your neighbor is stealing your mail. That positive. Review to come…

Anyway, back to the ECBP at hand. Each of these batches is age stated at 12 YO; A120 is 136.6 proof, B520 is 127.2 proof, and C920 is 132.8 proof, no slouchers here. Let’s get to it.

Sample 1: The NJBYC Glass

Typically dark, amber maple syrup shade. Nose is delicious - maple candy all the way. Not too hot, but then again when you get to these proofs the nose can sometimes hide the pain to come. A pleasantly spicy oak note comes in and backs up the sensation of smelling a vanilla-scented bakery. A medium rim holds droplet legs against the glass.

This is a seriously thick mouthfeel - it’s creamy and coating before the heat ever rolls in. And then it does - the maple candy sweetness comes first, then a hot oak burn coats the tongue. The oak is a bit off-putting at first but fades after a few seconds.

On the second sip, there’s black pepper, oak, hot vanilla, and a spice that pings around the mouth like a pinball. The pepperiness is well-balanced by the dark maple sugar sweetness and never gets too out-of-control hot. The mouthfeel stays medium-bodied and coating.

The finish is like taking a bite of something with too much pepper or hot sauce on it - my throat caught for a second, though the finish on the palate remained balanced. This batch lingers on the tongue and in the corners of my mouth. The flavors don’t change, and yet they feel like they’re getting thinner.

Overall: a good start, a classic ECBP profile, but I have a feeling this won’t be winning the blind.

Sample 2: The Blank Glass

Shade is again a barrel-aged maple syrup. This smells like a syrupy yet savory French toast. Dark dark dried and stewed fruits that have gotten so dark they’re verging on going from sweet to umami. Caramelized brioche crusts and vanilla paste, with a hint of heat. Cinnamon, too. Still a moderate nose at best, but I kind of expect it to open up a bit more. Medium rims slough off syrupy legs.

The palate is more immediately hot than sample 1, but it’s so deliciously hot. The tip of my tongue is burning a bit and the rest is on a low flame, but the toasted cinnamon notes are dancing around my mouth. This is medium-bodied and is making my mouth water. The spice just keeps on going, like you’re toasting baking spices over fresh oak - a really tasty blend.

Again the back of my throat is hit by black pepper, but it’s not as raw as the first sample. This feels more connected between the palate and throat-level finish, with the spice on the palate just sticking around for the entire experience.

Looking just past the heat, though, there’s something lacking, but it’s still delicious. What’s kicking this back is just that the heat keeps coming and won’t let the other flavors come forward. I can tell there’s high-proof bourbon under there, and the pepper isn’t unexpected, but you do expect the heat to let up at SOME point.

Based on the nose and my initial feeling, I thought this would rank higher than sample 1. But, having the finish be that hot made me revisit sample 1 to see if I’d had some palate shock (admittedly, didn’t prep for this, went right into 120+ proof bourbon). And I have to say, now sample 1 is just slightly more balanced than sample 2.

As of now, 1>2. Let’s move onto 3.

Sample 3: The Rabbit Hole Glencairn

This sample is slightly lighter in color, more a pure amber than a dark maple syrup. This nose is open right off the bat with the best vanilla-scented French toast ever. Buttery, savory, eggy, and syrupy, all the best parts in a single sniff. There’s zero heat on the nose, it’s all complex sweet Sunday breakfast…maple-glazed bacon or ham even starts to come in, though I’ll be honest it could just be that the scent memory is that strong. There are also no rims, and droplets coat the inside of the glencairn.

The first sip is super oaky and drying - the tip of my tongue is on fire. But around my palate, the spice is accompanied by a really nice numbing sensation, like chewing on whole cloves. Spiced maple syrup builds through the palate, dark, smoky, and sweet all at once.

The second sip isn’t anywhere near as hot - in fact the proof almost disappears. There’s still some oak but it’s providing great body in the bottom of the palate, under the tongue, giving the rest of the palate a great platform to sit on. Maple sugar candies feed a viscous, syrupy mouthfeel that brings just a hit of baking spice tingle.

The finish is balanced - there’s no hit of pepper at the back of the throat, but a pleasant heat and spice rolls through my mouth and down my throat. My palate is still slightly numb from the clove, but not so much that the flavors are hidden. This is really really good.

Overall, whatever batch this is is the clear winner. I revisited samples 2 and 1 before my final ranking and the reveal, and here it is:

3 > 1 > 2

So, what were they?

A120 > B520 > C920

WHAT?

OK, let’s be real, I couldn’t imagine the “B” batch being in last. It was too good. But really?? “A” came in first? Look, I’m a proof hound and proud of it, and at 136.6 proof “A” isn’t flying under anyone’s radar. But maybe, just maybe, the additional air time high-proofers sometimes need really helped this out. I still think “B” is objectively a better batch, but the blinds don’t lie - for me, this year’s winner is ECBP Batch A120.