Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch C919

I like to write down the first and last pour of a bottle to see how things change as they open up. This is the last pour of my ECBP C919, I've been trying to make this one last. Glencairn, neat, rested 20 minutes Nose: so much vanilla, the brown sugar is still there but the vanilla makes me think of cupcake icing in the best way, not much ethanol either which still amazes me. Palate: lots of heat up front(I like that), medium-thick mouthfeel, no nuts anymore and the oak and brown sugar notes are very subdued and balanced with some cherry slipping in. It is very powerful yet orderly with nothing overshadowing the rest of the show. Finish: long warm finish full of Red Hots' cinnamon and vanilla that slowly slips away. Overall: best bottle of whisky I've had. In my mind this is bread and butter of brown water, bowling right now the middle of modern and nostalgic profiles. It was great at the neck pour and only got better. Thankful I bought two bottles, but it will have to be a special day for me to open #2.

Color: deep golden brown, almost opaque Legs: These things form at the very brim of the line and unexpectedly slow, but once they group (relatively far apart), they take off like the dickens Nose: for being such a high proof, it's ultra sweet, lots of oak, butterscotch and some chocolate. it's hard to keep the nose in too long as the proof burns with anything deep or long First Sip: it's like drinking carmel syrup, if you let it rolls around the front, it doesn't burn much. as it rolls to the back, a little bit of the oak and floral notes come through Taste: It's incredibly sweet and oaky for a really high proof. It's so smooth though that it's incredibly dangerous. Yes you can tell the proof but it's not overpowering. Finish: slight burn on the first taste or two going down but the residual flavors urge and crave you to do it again. some vanilla still on the tongue with a hint of butterscotch. For the price/value and the proof and the taste, I'm not sure it gets much better than this.

Nose- The nose reveals some nice age. Plenty of green apple jolly rancher and musty book leather. I love the age that comes through. Their is also some tobacco notes. Palate- spicier notes are revealed. A baking shelf of nutmeg, all-spice are revealed. It then gives way to oak and leather book. It is chewy, and at the same time caramel coated. Their is some heat, a bit of astringency, but super sippable without water. With water, a taffy apple comes through! Finish- long an oaky. A bit of bitterness is there but not so much as it is off putting. The finish does not go quietly into the night. Overall- One of the most challenging batches I have sipped. On one hand the nose is fantastic, on the other it borders on too much oak. It doesnt cross the line, but if you are one of those who don't like a bit of a drier finish, you may find that is where the flaw is. I for one like everything it sets out to do. Water is your friend in releasing more of the scrumptious nose

The nose is spice forward with pepper, cinnamon, clove, followed by oak, leather, campfire smoke, brown sugar, vanilla and a touch of caramel sweetness. It gets much more tame after only breathing for a couple minutes, allowing you to explore the softer notes. The palate is dry and chewy and fills the mouth with a wave of pepper and cinnamon that gradually intensifies. It is balanced by smooth oak along with a subtle, but sharp, sweetness from vanilla and brown sugar that is almost molasses. As you chew on it you get the hints of smoke and lingering leathery aftertaste. The finish is medium long with a lingering spiciness and an almost buttery note that keeps you chewing. It is very full and robust and presents the best of what this label can be.

Open 4 weeks Nose - Burnt vanilla, boozy maple caramel syrup, gingerbread, strong oak and medium ethanol. Palate - Dense sugars, mixture of crème brulee and maple syrup, Christmas fruit cake, raisins, berry compote. Long, oily finish with building heat from ethanol and oak, but it isn't overwhelming for the proof. Mouth is coated in cinnamon syrupy goodness. Somehow the closest ABC to my workplace happened to put out a case of C919 a year after it was released. This was the only ECBP I had not bought from 2019-2020, so I quickly grabbed one given it was one of the highest regarded ECBP releases in recent years. It does not disappoint and has everything you expect. It's on par with C920 and A119, but B520 remains my favorite release to date.

First time trying with a hint of water Nose - vanilla and spices. Pepper on the nose as well makes me think this will be quite spicy. Complex and heat to my nose Taste - can feel the heat as soon as it hits the tongue. Pretty complex but heat is the main word I would describe this one. Pepper, floral notes, vanilla and spicy notes throughout the palate and surprisingly finishes sweet and smooth. Overall and value - one of my first barrel proofs. I expected some heat but this one was almost too much for me. Very complex with all the flavors but I could do without all the up front heat on this one. I do like how this bottle is getting easier to find. 60$ range in my area and found a few places.