Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B519

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B519 Review

Heaven Hill

61.1% ABV/122.2 Proof

12 YO

Eye: Orange slices with bruleed sugar. Thin rim and thin legs.

Nose: There’s no mistaking an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof nose. Not as hot, and there’s some funk there, too. Raw vanilla poured over the top. 

Palate: Very spicy up front, lots of oak and chilies in dark chocolate. Raw vanilla extract. There’s dried red fruits but this is vanilla’s party. A great nuttiness develops after some air. Mouthfeel is coating and filling, yet somehow dissipates quickly. 

Finish: Becomes fruitier with each sip, though the dark chocolate is always in the ring. Heat becomes toffee-like and dials down to a more manageable level. 

Overall: I still haven’t had a bad Elijah Craig Small Batch Barrel Proof, though this batch doesn’t rank among my favorites. 2019 was an odd year…2018 had the brilliant “B” batch, and 2020 so far has been extraordinary. 2019 feels like the middle child. 

Rating: 6.8

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)