Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel
Name (full): Elijah Craig Aged 18 Years Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Barreled Date: September 12, 1983
Barrel #: 629
Proof: 90
Price: $29.99 per 750ml @ Toddy's, Bardstown, Kentucky.
Bottle: A rather elegant but unassuming flask shaped bottle with whispy smoky blue labels. the front label lists the name and proof, while the back label says: "Aged for 18 years in a single charred oak barrel. It offers you a rare opportunity to enjoy the hearty, full-bodied flavor of a true Kentucky classic.". Distilled & Bottled by The Elijah Craig distillery Co., Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky 4004.
Color: Burnt Sepia with rosy highlights. What I used to imagine the inside of a bourbon barrel looked like.
Mash Bill: From what I can gather all Heaven Hill Bourbons are Corn 75% Rye 13% Malted Barley 12%.
Nose: plum, vanilla (just a touch), smoke, menthol, burned molasses, nutmeg & allspice, peppermint, CHARRED. Diluted: pretty much the same, some cloves & baked praline pecans as well. A little sweeter.
Taste: charred barrel almost to the exclusion of anything else (but thankfully not completely), dark sweetness like dates, tart like bitter cocoa, a tiny bit of the nutmeg taste carries over. Diluted : menthol (Heaven Hill Distillery Character) more noticeable, bergamot tea with lemon.
Finish: Long, smooth , dry, & coating with BARREL & rye spicy notes, more bitter cocoa. Barrel aftertaste lingers with you for quite awhile after you have finished drinking.
Mouth feel: thick, explodes warmly onto the palate, rather large after that. Warm feeling for a 90 proof bourbon, tingly ( almost mouth numbing, my wife said). This bourbon seemed viscous and clinged nicely to the glass.
Conclusions: I have to say I enjoyed the experience of this bourbon. It is not something I could drink everyday, mind you, but once in a while a bourbon aged this long is a good counterpoint to some of the great younger bourbons I have tried (having lined it up against OF 86 for example, the differences are STRIKING). I can see why some people think it is over aged (it tastes a LOT like barrel and can be overly tannic), and I would agree with it being overpriced (though I feel I got a deal 
!) especially compared to Elijah Craig 12 which is still more interesting and the expression I prefer. What it is though, is the PERFECT counterpoint to a medium to full bodied cigar! It is strong enough to tackle the bold flavors, and a good cigar seems to smooth out some of its more tannic notes! I know this is a very specific usage for a rather pricey drink, but its usefull tho me and such an amazing match, it neede to be mentioned. All that said I am glad I bought this bottling and I know that it will get finished, maybe even savored. If you can catch it on a deal, you just might want to try it too!
TomC
4 comments:
What type of cigar would you smoke with this bourbon?
Usually when I pair a cigar with this bourbon, its something with a bit of ooooomph. Punch Gran Puros, La Flor Dominicana Chiselitos, and I bet though I havent tried them together yet, the Tatuaje Havana VI line would work fabulously. On the Cuban side, the ones I have had best success with are Partags Series D #4, Monte #2, and the the second half of H. Upmann Magnum 46 is strong enough to hold up. Hope that helps.
Thanks for the recommendations. I was thinking a maduro wrapper like Black Pearl Gran Robusto. I'll look for the Punch and La Flor.
I would think that most maduros would hold up to the Elijah Craig, as long as they are at least medium strength. In that case they will not be overpowered by the bourbon.
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