Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B523

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF SHOWDOWN: 2023 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A123 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B523 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C923 Continuing to work through ECBPs in my collection. I’ve got several years and releases of ECBP; my only complete years for all three releases are 2017 and 2023. I’ve previously reviewed the ECBP A123 in a showdown with its Heaven Hill cousin, Larceny Barrel Proof A123 (October 11, 2023); but I’ve yet to review all three 2023 releases in “Showdown” format. In 2017, Elijah Craig introduced a new bottle and label. For the A117 release to the A123, the label at the bottom had three boxes: one for proof, one for ABV, and one for batch (i.e., A123). Each bottle carried a 12-year age statement. This changed with the B523 release, and thus far continues with the C923. These labels continue to show the proof in the first box, but the second box now shows the age statement, which is no longer only 12 years. The B523 is 11 years and 5 months; the C923 is 13 years and 7 months. I’ve gone through seven years of community ranking data for each triannual rating of ECBP, and averaged the 21 averages themselves to establish a community mean for the seven-year period 2017-2023. This will enable us to quantify what the group things about a particular release relative to the overall average (mean). As of roughly a week ago: • mean(m): 4.26 • standard deviation(s): 0.14 • sample size(n): 3008 (If you don’t care about stats, you can skip the next two paragraphs). Because I’m unable to aggregate all ratings for each specific release (Distiller, are you listening? Give us more data!), I’m unable to establish a standard deviation for a particular release. But I am able to compute the z-score for each particular release relative to the entire sample. The z-score is computed as follows: ((mean for the specific release minus the mean for the entire sample) divided by the overall sample’s standard deviation). This statistic quantifies how much better or worse a particular release is in relation to the community’s ranking of all ECBP over the sample period. Assuming a normal distribution, any z-score within +/- 1.0 standard deviation is assumed to be within “normal” limits (per the empirical rule, ~68% of the distribution is within +/- 1 standard deviation from the mean). A z-score of +/- 2 standard deviations would represent ~95% of the distribution; and +/- 3 is ~99% of the distribution. Thus a z-score of +1.5 would be a significantly better release than normal (and -1.5 would be significantly worse). A z-score of 2.0 would be better than 95% of the sample, etc. (End of stats geek stuff). Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A123 Like each of these 2023 releases, the A123 color is a clear mahogany, like Pantone 159. caramelized sugar, root beer, pineapple upside down cake, barbecue sauce, caramel, maple syrup, chocolate pudding pie, and vanilla. There is a faint vegetal note like celery seed, but this only makes it more interesting. The amazing depth and breadth on the nose doesn’t miss a step on the palate, which is sweet and spicy. Some drying leather and lots of vanilla on the long finish. When I did a Showdown between the ECBP A123 and the Larceny Barrel Proof A123, I rated the ECBP 4.25 vs the LBP at 4.5. If that was accurate, I can’t wait to taste the LBP A123 again! Th ECBP A123 is very, very good. Would I buy it again? Yes. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is the best value in all of bourbondom. And it’s not that $80 is “cheap”; rather, it is inexpensive relative to bourbon-price insanity, and represents amazing value in its combination of price, flavor, and proof. Easy 4.5 on the Distiller scale. My rating: 4.5 Community: m=4.42, z=1.13, n=49 (well above all ECBPs) 125.6 proof. 12-year age statement. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B523 Like each of these 2023 releases, the B523 color is a clear mahogany, like Pantone 159. Muted nose compared to the A123 (although it does open up after 15+ minutes). Cocoa, pecan pie, marzipan, deep sandalwood, and a dusty dry leather note. It becomes much more assertive on the palate, with cola syrup and a deep honeyed sweetness, and the 124.2 proof (the lightest of the bunch) makes an appearance. That same assertiveness continues on the finish, with the dusty dry leather note making a second appearance, along with some slight bitterness and a hit of vanilla. As of last week, the Distiller community has ranked the B523 at 4.47, second only to the C523’s 4.49. I can’t agree with that. The nose is a wallflower compared to its A123 and C923 siblings, and that same nose is incongruous with its own palate as well. To be fair, these are high-class problems, manifest from high expectations. Would I buy it again? Yes. Of course I would. I’ve never been disappointed with any release of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, and the fact that they can be found at $80 is just incredible. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. My rating: 4.25 Community: m=4.47, z=1.49, n=69 (well above than all ECBPs) 124.2 proof. 11-year, 5-month age statement. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C923 Like each of these 2023 releases, the C923 color is a clear mahogany, like Pantone 159. Effusive, penetrating nose shows banana bread, brown sugar, rich apple pie, caramel, sweet and sour sauce, the same very light celery-seed note that I got on the A123, and a cooling hint of licorice. On the palate, the flavors coat the tongue, and the robust flavor intensity keeps the high 133 proof in check. Toasted marshmallow—including some that you let catch on fire and get a little burnt—on the finish, along with a little root beer and vanilla. Wow. Transcendent. ECBP C923 is on another level. Insofar that I can recall, this is my favorite release of ECBP. This bourbon can be found for $79.99, which is the best bourbon value I’ve ever come across (the A123 is not too far behind). Would I buy it again? Yes. Please, if you see any at retail, leave a comment below and I’ll be there ASAP. 4.75 on the Distiller scale. My rating: 4.75 Community: m=4.49, z=1.64, n=69 (significantly better than all ECBPs) 133.0 proof. 13-year, 7-month age statement. Overall, the B523 is the softest of the bunch, and was the easiest of the three to rank. It has the lowest age statement, and the lowest proof (just slightly lower than the A123). But that’s not a ding; it is very good. “Softest” is relative to the other two, and tasted alone, that same descriptor could come across as “smooth.” But the nose is AWOL in comparison. The A123 and C923, however, are on a different level, with robust aromatics and flavors from start to finish. As I’ve stated before, these “Showdown” formats aren’t necessarily meant to declare winners and losers, but rather to establish some context amongst various themes. For the 2023 releases of ECBP, however, there is a clear hierarchy: C923, closely followed by A123, and then B523. I’d happily drink the B523 neat and enjoy every sip. And to be clear, I’m not influenced by the fact that the May release is somewhat lower (11 years, 5 months) than ECBP’s typical 12-year age statement. It simply lacks the unbelievable intensity of the January and September 2023 releases. At some point down the road, I’ll do a Showdown between the ECBP B523 and the Larceny Barrel Proof B523; perhaps the ECBP will show differently against that backdrop. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

It’s funny to me how there are certain whiskies where, I open the bottle and nose it and taste it and get excited and have ideas and have to write my review right away while the experience is freshest. Then there are other bottles where I’m in no rush. I don’t really have thoughts other than, ah, that’s good, or oh that sucks, and I have to live with the liquid for a while before an angle on the experience begins to coalesce. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B523 is one of the later types of bottles. Truth be told, part of the delay is not a lack of quality but a lack of excitement about what’s in the bottle. I hear C923 is phenomenal but I haven’t been able to get my hands on a bottle yet. They just got a new shipment of ECBP in at local stores last week and it was another round of B523, so I didn’t buy it. This is one of those where I felt no need to buy a second bottle (as a point of comparison I bought two bottles of A123). You see, despite batch variation being a very real thing, I find little variation within the variation if that makes any sense. Yes, A123 was better than A523. But we’re not talking wide deviations from the norm. I gave A123 a 4.0 and spoiler, I’ll likely give this the same rating despite the fact that it’s not quite as good. Thing is it’s better than most of the whiskies I’ve given a 3.75 here so it has to be a 4.0 even if it’s not quite as good as A123. Maybe A123 deserves a quarter star bump, but from my experience of ECBP, the variation in score is basically between 4.0 and 4.25, with maybe a 4.5 being left to the exceptional batches like I hear C923 is. In short, for some reason, ECBP batches are an event in the way, say, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength batches aren’t, even though there’s similar variation in them. But of course, I don’t want to feel the need to have to review every batch of MMCS because there’s not quite enough variation between the batches for me to say something new every time. And despite ECBP being more of an event, I kind of feel the same: I reviewed one batch, and just because you slap a different letter/number combo on it, well, why should I have to review them every time around when the flavor profiles tend to be pretty similar (mind you, I said “similar” and not “the same”)? So ultimately, this is very good whisky that isn’t particularly exciting. The nose has oak, vanilla and toffee with a bit of cinnamon spice. The palate continues the vanilla and oak mixing in the cherries and baking spice with a long peppery finish that lingers delightfully after the whisky has gone down the throat. The nose was a lot more prominent on the A123 and I was able to differentiate the aromas a bit more clearly but the aromas were similar. The palate here is similar in that there’s the dark fruit mingling with your standard bourbon flavors and the finish again lasts forever. I would say the only thing separating the two in my mind is the nose, which in A123 edges out the B523 nose by a hair, so as I’ve said, probably have to give it the same rating at 4.0. Now for the controversial bit: I’d rather have Larceny BP (which is less aged, but as robust and flavorful and $10 less) or Maker’s CS (which isn't nearly as rounded as this but which I enjoy a great deal still and in my region is a whopping $30 less) as I prefer wheated bourbons. But I’ll take this any day of the week as well. It’s a preference. Not an absolute on this. This was still good enough that I went through the bottle in about 2 months. Maybe it’s just that I’ve never had a truly phenomenal ECBP that I’m just not that excited about writing these up. Oh, and the price jump from $65 to $75 between A123 and B523 in my region hasn’t done this any favors from that perspective.

Color: Deep amber Nose: Formidable nose, foretelling of the high proof — but not in a heavy "alcohol" way. It's molasses and caramel with inevitable char. Palate: (drank with a large ice ball). Very rich and viscous mouth feel. Initial spicy-sweet assault on the taste buds, followed by a mild chest hug. Getting a lot from these first few sips. Sweetness lingers in the back of your throat, as does the chest hug. Getting a "buttery" thing — like buttery pound cake. Maple-pecan is hitting me as the ice dissipates (when any kind of "nut" makes an appearance, I am sold!), as well as vanilla. You can tell this is 124 proof, but at the same time, it doesn't drink as hot as you'd expect. There's more flavor than burn; more subtly than in-your-face. I am quite enjoying this maiden pour. Finish: Medium-long with more butter. The more bourbon I try, the more I understand why higher proofs are held in such a high regard. There really is something to be said about proof. I've enjoyed many a bottle under 100 proof. But these higher proofs really do offer more complexity if that's what you go for. I don't necessarily place a lot of importance on "proof". But I understand those who do. This is damned excellent bourbon. I will be grabbing another bottle — if I can find another upon the killing of this one.

The first ECBP to feature less than a 12yr age statement and a pretty low proof to boot; how will this measure up? Nose offers some standard vanilla/caramel along with cedar, apple, orange peel, cinnamon, spun sugar, nutmeg, and hay/grass. Ethanol was quite pesky, detracting a bit from the experience. Palate offers some immediate tannic oak followed by cinnamon bear candy, nutmeg, caramel dipped green apple, subtle vanilla, golden raisin, and cherry. Not a lot of mid-palate action going on here; everything comes quick and at the very front of the tongue. Finish is very long and bitter dry oak along and more spices adding allspice and clove to the cinnamon and nutmeg from the nose/palate along black pepper, lime, chili pepper, and a hint of peppermint. Super spicy. It’s not alcohol heat, but the spice just overpowers. Mouthfeel is slick and oily. A more spicy and tannic profile than I am used to from these releases. While it’s certainly a good whiskey, I am missing the sweeter notes present in other releases. Is it the age? The proof? I’m not certain, but I feel this is a sub par release. At 89.99, it’s still merits a 4.0 (which should tell you something about the quality of the series) but just not a top tier release.

No legs in the glass to speak of. Deep amber color. Nose is sweet and full of cinnamon with a touch of chocolate and nut bread. The whiskey explodes onto the palate as a spice bomb. Bitter chocolate follows and licorice lingers on the middle of the tongue. Somewhere in there, candied apple makes the scene. A big long chest hug ends the experience, more like a whiskey in the 130 proof range. Not a whiskey for beginners. Adding ice or water rounds out both the nose and palate, lengthening the finish and leaving it less dry and with much less heat. Cinnamon sits on the tongue forever. The B's are usually my least favorite of the series every year, but this bourbon brings it.

Fruity, nutty and slightly spicy nose. Black cherry, walnut bread, blackberry preserves lead the tasting, with the well known backbone of the EC mashbill. This release has all the hallmarks of prior releases, with perhaps some additional richness. Remarkably smooth and easy going in spite of the over 62% ABV. Feel free to add more than a splash of branch water to open this one up. It won't lose any of its character. These regular releases are a real treat, as you can see the effects of aging, weather and barrel on the distillate across the years.