Day 11 - Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Paul Mora
- Dec 23, 2020
- 1 min read
This pour is from Batch B520, which is the second installment of this barrel. At 127.2 proof, it is intense. This one benefits from a splash of water or a couple of rocks.
The color is rich and deep. The nose is toasted marshmallows, oak, buttery caramel, and vanilla.
The pallet is fire, and it takes a couple of sips to adjust. The front is an herbaceous caramel with oak and moves to a creamy blackberry, then finishes with tobacco and toast.
It is complex and a must have for any collection. But it is a serious drink -- the high proof kicked my ass.
3 words: smooth smooth smooth.
After a stressful day of fantasy football. This was exactly what I needed.
Great story, Dan. You really have a way with words.
AWWWWWW YEAH. This is why I got into bourbon, in the first place. Produced a hot rod and custom car photoshoot in front of the rick houses at Heaven Hill years ago. We'd met the distillers and done the whole fkn AMAZING dog-n-pony show and, truth be told, I was a little distracted because I always get a little distracted right before a shoot, even though I've been doing this shit for 30 years. Anyway, we parked these great, old, leaky hot rods and very, very low customs on the grass in front of the rick houses on a really warm, dry Kentucky afternoon. About 4 big dudes stood around the perimeter of my shoot with jerry cans with hand-pumps on…
This bourbon had an attractive, copper color. Oak and alcohol on the nose. The first taste brought up sweet cherry, which was quickly followed by a (barely) controlled burn. The second was reminiscent of those cinnamon toothpicks they sold at the Am/Pm in my hometown. The third was a more cozy honey-coated black pepper. Somewhere between the first and third taste, I could swear I heard Uma Thurman in 'Pulp Fiction' shouting, "I say, 'God Damn!'" after snorting a line of blow. Sources couldn't confirm this though. My taste buds did scream for relief once or twice. Not your average whisky, that's for sure.
And here is the nightcap.