| Category | Straight Bourbon |
|---|---|
| Country | Region | United States, Kentucky |
| Distillery | Heaven hill |
| Age statement | 18yr |
| Alcohol % | Proof | 45% | 90 pf |
| Release | 2023 / Barrel #6663 |
| Mash bill | 78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, 10% Rye |
| Cask type | New american oak |
| Price point | $190 |
| Region | Kentucky |
| Bottle status | Active |
Elijah Craig Single Barrel 18yr
Appearance / Color
Not provided
Nose / Aroma / Smell
Honey-forward nose with spicy notes of oak, and a lovely touch of black fruit, cedar, mint, citrus and caramel.
Flavor / Taste / Palate
Smoky oak on the palate followed by sweet notes of maple syrup with a choir of cinnamon, hazelnut, apple and pear.
Finish
Medium finish with notes of caramel, chocolate, brown sugar and wood.
Honey-forward nose with spicy notes of oak, and a lovely touch of black fruit, cedar, mint, citrus and caramel. Smoky oak on the palate followed by sweet notes of maple syrup with a choir of cinnamon, hazelnut, apple and pear. The Elijah Craig family of bourbon is deep and diverse. From their standard small batch series, their toasted offering, to their ongoing batched barrel proof series, which happened to be our #1 Whiskey of the Year in 2023, the brand seems to offer something for everyone. However, none of those are aged in oak for the extreme amount of time that Elijah Craig 18 Year is. Outside of Heaven Hill, you find few higher-aged bourbon offerings coming from Kentucky. While you have Eagle Rare 17 and Pappy Van Winkle 20 and 23, and other limited releases from time to time, these whiskeys are nearly unobtainable to most consumers. As a result, the closest comparison is Knob Creek 18 Year. However, being a batched product versus a single barrel product affords that bourbon to deliver a more consistent drinking experience to the entire consumer set who purchases a bottle. Being a single barrel, each barrel of Elijah Craig 18 Year will be slightly different. While the nose may be slightly better for one, or the palate better for another, for the most part, Elijah Craig 18 Year typically delivers a solid and consistent drinking experience. It treads the line nicely between highlighting the additional time spent aging in barrels without becoming over-oaked. Higher age in no way equates to a better tasting bourbon, but for those who do chase age statements, few high aged bourbons deliver the drinking experience that Elijah Craig 18 Year does. Eighteen years is a long time to rest before being brought to the market. Think about all you’ve accomplished in life over the last 18 years. Now think about this bourbon sitting in a barrel that entire time. This literally entered a barrel in late 2004, and many, many things could have gone wrong before it came to be bottled. Credit should be given to Heaven Hill for releasing a consistently well-crafted, high-aged bourbon that is greatly enjoyable and also reasonably accessible.
Elijah Craig Single Barrel 18yr
Bottle Specs
- Category
- Straight Bourbon
- Distillery
- Heaven hill
- Country | Region
- United States, Kentucky
- Age Statement
- 18yr
- Alcohol / Proof
- 45% / 90 pf
- Price Point
- $190
- Mash Bill
- 78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, 10% Rye
- Cask Type
- New american oak
- Release
- 2023 / Barrel #6663
Tasting Notes
Appearance
Not provided
Nose
Honey-forward nose with spicy notes of oak, and a lovely touch of black fruit, cedar, mint, citrus and caramel.
Palate
Smoky oak on the palate followed by sweet notes of maple syrup with a choir of cinnamon, hazelnut, apple and pear.
Finish
Medium finish with notes of caramel, chocolate, brown sugar and wood.
Honey-forward nose with spicy notes of oak, and a lovely touch of black fruit, cedar, mint, citrus and caramel. Smoky oak on the palate followed by sweet notes of maple syrup with a choir of cinnamon, hazelnut, apple and pear. The Elijah Craig family of bourbon is deep and diverse. From their standard small batch series, their toasted offering, to their ongoing batched barrel proof series, which happened to be our #1 Whiskey of the Year in 2023, the brand seems to offer something for everyone. However, none of those are aged in oak for the extreme amount of time that Elijah Craig 18 Year is. Outside of Heaven Hill, you find few higher-aged bourbon offerings coming from Kentucky. While you have Eagle Rare 17 and Pappy Van Winkle 20 and 23, and other limited releases from time to time, these whiskeys are nearly unobtainable to most consumers. As a result, the closest comparison is Knob Creek 18 Year. However, being a batched product versus a single barrel product affords that bourbon to deliver a more consistent drinking experience to the entire consumer set who purchases a bottle. Being a single barrel, each barrel of Elijah Craig 18 Year will be slightly different. While the nose may be slightly better for one, or the palate better for another, for the most part, Elijah Craig 18 Year typically delivers a solid and consistent drinking experience. It treads the line nicely between highlighting the additional time spent aging in barrels without becoming over-oaked. Higher age in no way equates to a better tasting bourbon, but for those who do chase age statements, few high aged bourbons deliver the drinking experience that Elijah Craig 18 Year does. Eighteen years is a long time to rest before being brought to the market. Think about all you’ve accomplished in life over the last 18 years. Now think about this bourbon sitting in a barrel that entire time. This literally entered a barrel in late 2004, and many, many things could have gone wrong before it came to be bottled. Credit should be given to Heaven Hill for releasing a consistently well-crafted, high-aged bourbon that is greatly enjoyable and also reasonably accessible.