Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Bourbon

Elijah Craig 18 was one of those bottles I saw in the case that I was attracted to at the very beginning of my whiskey journey. It was only a matter of time until I got my hands on it. Trying the standard EC bourbon and rye and various batches of the ECBP only solidified my interest in this bottle. And here we are. Bottled: 9-27-22. Barrel 6133. Nose: Caramel, nougat, vanilla, and toffee. Almond and pecan. Some apple, dried apricot, golden raisin, and a blueberry/blue raspberry candy note. Parfait. Peach tea. Clementine, tangerine, and even a bit of lemon citrus. Honey and bubblegum. Espresso. Cocoa. Black tea, a touch of pipe smoke, newspaper, and a trace of sawdust. Loads of oak. Palate: Caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, and maple. Peach tea. Dried apricot and golden raisin. Apple cider. Cherry and even plum. Orange rind and tangerine/clementine. Bubblegum. More berry parfait. Almond, hazelnut, and pecan. White and black pepper combined with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, and oak. Finish: Almond, hazelnut, and pecan. Gala apple, clementine/tangerine citrus. Caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar. Gala apple and cherry. Parfait. Black tea. Rye spice. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, and oak. Moderate length. This delivers to my expectations established all those years ago. It’s vibrant, delicious, and avoids the stigma of being “over-oaked,” which gives some older whiskies aged in hot climates a bad rap. Instead, the quality grain and the careful aging process shine. In fact, the profile is on the lighter side for bourbon—especially for Elijah Craig. It’s much more fruit forward and generally sweeter than the other EC offerings. At $200, I’ve got to say this was worth the price of entry. It’s a lot—for anything—but in the context of bourbons that are in this general age ballpark, this is a steal. This could’ve been a 5-star bourbon if the ABV were a bit higher, but this lands comfortably at a 4.5.

For years I unsuccessfully tried to secure a bottle of Elijah Craig 18. Then around Thanksgiving of 2021, I saw a bottle behind the bar at West End Tavern on Pearl Street in Boulder, CO. It was nearly empty, and I was given the remainder of the bottle, even though it was slightly more than the typical pour. I spent the next 45 minutes savoring it. Earlier this year I was able to find a bottle saved for me by the manager at my local shop. I've enjoyed it on a couple of occasions, only with friends who I know would appreciate it (including said manager). Clear pale mahogany in color. The nose shows baking, fruity, and woody notes: Honey-Nut Cheerios, blueberry, apple pie, rosin, nutmeg, vanilla, and clove, finishing with a subtle menthol. These descriptors continue on the palate, along with drying tannins that lead to a long vanilla-highlighted finish. Overall, this is a sophisticated, subtle, and restrained pour which is not unlike modern nonrepresentational art in its aesthetic, in that some prior knowledge is required to bolster the appreciation. It is not ostentatious. Tasted blind, a connoisseur could detect an aged bourbon, but armed with the understanding of a bourbon that has aged for 18 years surely elicits a deeper investigation and appreciation. 4.5 on the Distiller scale. My only reservation is that EC18 isn't bottled at a higher proof. But the cutting with water might not only be an economic decision; because it has been in the barrel for 18 years, EC18 does have woody notes that perhaps benefit from some dilution. Barrel 5863, bottled 6.2.22. 45% ABV. N.B.: Tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

What whiskey to savor on New Year’s Eve prior to the Fiesta Bowl, and some great champagne later? I chose one of my all-time faves: Elijah Craig 18. EC18 is a pensive whiskey, perfect for reviewing the prior year and planning for the next one. Some older bourbons can become woody, but not EC18. It is smooth and sophisticated. I’m sure that I would love this if tasted blind, but knowing beforehand what it is, I can’t help but appreciate its subtle complexity. I’ve savored this a couple times recently (without notes), and each time—including this one—I find the same general descriptors. Baked cinnamon apples, Honey Nut Cheerios, pomander, graham cracker, baking spices, vanilla. On the palate, it’s light on its feet; not thin, but ethereal. The 90-proof is an apt accompaniment to the generous and complex but understated flavor profile; there is no doubt that this is Bourbon (as I’ve written previously, no Kentucky Hug, but rather a Bardstown Kiss). The finish is long, with the expected oak from an 18-year-old bourbon, with its characteristic vanilla and caramel notes. EC18 isn’t cheap; you’d be hard-pressed to find it below $250. Would I buy it again? Without question. Every time I’ve seen it in the wild (which is three), I’ve pulled the trigger, and would do so again, even with 2.5 bottles on hand. 4.5 stars on the Distiller scale. Barrel 5863, bottled 6.2.22. 45% ABV. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Consistent with previous note (11/13/25). I don't typically drink such a nice bourbon this frequently; but with homemade sausage and meatball ragù coming (tasting three nice Chianti Classicos with it), and having already written wine notes on an aperitif and another one used to deglaze a pan, I wanted an intermission libation. No scourge-purge dirge, but on the verge with an urge to splurge. Everything is context. And following the wine, vanilla is the most apparent descriptor, followed by caramel and leather. The hogo funk is in the background this time. Finish is long with peach, chocolate-covered cherries, more vanilla, faint licorice and espresso, caramelized sugar. EC18 is a benchmark, world-class bourbon and whiskey. It is a very good value in the small circle of whiskies that I'd put in that category (William Larue Weller, George T. Stagg, Pappy 15, Hibiki 17 and 21, Laphroaig Cask Strength, Macallan 18, various Springbank expressions, Thirteenth Colony Cask Strength, Michter's Barrel Strength Straight Rye, Blue/Red/Gold Spot, to name several). I'll purge the urge to splurge again on this in the near future, though as I've noted previously, I'm seeing more of this in the wild (don't ask me where).

Typically one tastes a lower-proof whiskey to "warm up" to a higher-proof, cask-strength version. Tonight I'm doing the opposite. After a 2023 Pride Vineyards Chardonnay with dinner, and a 2024 Angel's Envy Cask Strength with pumpkin bread pudding and vanilla ice cream for desert, I decided to pull out an old friend: Elijah Craig 18. Suffice to say I'll be going for a run in the morning before work. EC18 has a wonderful nose. In addition to the expected vanilla and caramel notes, as well as leather from its 18 years in barrel, there is a hogo funk aspect similar to what is found in many Jamaican rums. Also Honey-Nut Cheerios, a little spearmint, anise, and an unmistakeable butterscotch that rounds things out. The palate has light viscosity and that gentle Bardstown Kiss. Long finish with anise, apricots, peaches, and vanilla. Consistent with my previous notes, I'm seeing more of this in the wild. EC18, while not cheap, is currently one of the best rare bourbon values around. 4.75 on the Distiller scale. Barrel 7193. Bottled 1.11.25. 45% ABV.

Great whiskey shouldn't always be reserved for special occasions. In this case, I noticed that my open bottle of Elijah Craig 18 had about one pour left, so I drained it into a glass. Following a review of 2020 Château Laroque St. Émilion Grand Cru on CellarTracker, I snuggled up to the EC18. I'm seeing this bourbon a little more in the wild; and I recently added a bottle for $199, which is a steal, comparatively speaking. I'm a big Elijah Craig fan. This expression shows vanilla, cherries, and graham cracker, along with a perhaps unexpectedly light oak element. It's silky and light on the tongue, showing cinnamon apples and more cherry fruit, followed by the ember warmth of an evening cigar, then more vanilla, cherries, and beeswax, finishing very long. Elijah Craig 18 is an elegant, sophisticated bourbon. It is not flashy or ostentatious; it doesn't need to be. Its subtlety is meant for savoring. Would I buy it again? I did, a couple of weeks ago. 4.75 on the Distiller scale.