Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B521
Alright, I admit it, I’m excited for this one. There’s so much to think about.
It’s a “B” batch, which I almost always love most of the three ECBPs per year
The lowest ever proof for an ECBP, at 118.2, on the heels of the A121 batch that was itself the lowest proof until the B521 batch (I think?)
The anticipation of the unknown - will the lower proof make this bad? will it enhance something? if so, what will get enhanced?
I don’t know what it is about the ‘B’ batches, but I really do like those best. The B518 and B520 are in my 8.5-9.5 range on the 10-point scale. I genuinely wonder if it has to do with when the barrels are pulled.
Assuming minimal other variables, the main difference between batches is simply when they are pulled from the rickhouse. The ‘A’ is pulled in January (hence the ‘1’ in the batch code), the ‘B’ in May, and the ‘C’ in September. The first batch, dumped in mid-winter, is of ostensibly colder whiskey that’s drawn out of the wood - this batch usually tastes tight and muted to me, at least at first. The last batch is drawn in September, just after the heat of a Kentucky summer and generally comes off very hot to me (if still flavorful).
Maybe - just maybe, and this is entirely hypothetical - the May dump date is just right for my palate, at a point where the whiskey and wood are in balance. I have nothing to back this up, so if you’re a wood scientist and have something to prove or disprove this, please shoot me an email. But it’s consistent enough year after year to have me wondering.
Of course, the most talked-about of the three bullets above is the low proof, the lowest ECBP has had through pre-batch, old label, and ‘modern’ (post-2017) batches. ECBP is one of those bourbons that you just expect to punch you in the palate. The Elijah Craig A121 managed to still do that, even at a lower proof, so I wasn’t as worried about that as many Monday-morning quarterbacks…..er, distillers.
And honestly, I didn’t miss the extra proof.
The B521 wasn’t a firebomb, but it had plenty of proof heat and was a classic EBCP profile. So. Much. Dark. Chocolate. The lower proof opens the door for more subtle flavors to emerge, those older cinnamon/clove spices and caramelized vanilla that can be ECBP hallmarks, but are often masked when the proof hits 130+. I wasn’t over the moon with the A121, but the B521 has me back in the believer camp.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B521: Specs
Classification: Bourbon
Origin: Heaven Hill Distillery
Mashbill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Proof: 118.2 (59.1% ABV)
Age: 12 Years
Location: Bardstown, KY
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B521 Price: $75
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B521 Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Caramel just before it turns.
Nose: Classic ECBP nose, if a tiny bit muted for a second or two. Opens quickly with air. Caramel, vanilla, baking spice, cinnamon bark and whole clove. Some proof heat, but the lower proof is noticeable on the nose. Dark, dried red fruit, mulled wine.
Palate: Ooh - that’s nice. Takes the heat a second to kick in, but it does in one hell of a dark chocolate bomb. Spiced hot chocolate, dark chocolate covered raisins. The heat sticks around while mellowing, allowing the other flavors to shine. Mouthfeel is silky and tingly, coats the tongue but not much else
Finish: Dark chocolate liquer, or even aged dark chocolate whiskey. Long, a little fruity, but mainly chocolate with a touch of hazelnut on the close.
Overall: The B batches continue to shine. A hell of a chocolate bomb. I don’t mind or even notice the lower proof after the nose - if anything, maybe it lets the chocolate shine even more than usual.
Final Rating: 8.2
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)
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