Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B524

Is it possible to both think something is overrated and also enjoy it? That's often how I feel about Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. People seem to lose their minds about this stuff, and it's good, but is it lose your mind over it good? I suppose some batches might be. Since the end of 2022, I've been buying it when I see it, so I've had C922, A123, B523, A124, and now B524. Do you see a gap there? Yep, for some reason, we didn't get C923, the Whisky of the Year batch, here in Pennsylvania. At least not in my corner. Around the time our usual allocation would come in, we got one, but it was a double-dip of B523. They don't specify batches on our site, so I drove over and was fairly disappointed when I saw that it was a repeat instead of what's supposed to be the be-all-end-all of ECBP batches. And maybe I'm changing my tune now about overrated with B524. The others I've mentioned were all pretty good in their own ways, but B524 to me is, as the kids these days say, fire, and not in the sense that it's burning my nostrils and tongue. It's just fantastic. If C923 was considered the height of ECBP, I can only imagine how good it is given how much I love B524. Yesterday, I reviewed New Riff Single Malt, which came in at about 114 proof and burned the hairs out of my nose, even with a half hour in the glass for some of those fumes to evaporate. This is exactly the opposite, about 130 proof and lovely to the nose. It's rich with caramel, nutmeg, vanilla and oak with a particular emphasis on the caramel, which has always been one of my favorite notes in a bourbon. The palate is a bit spicier and shows its proof but comes off with a cinnamon red-hots flavor, creamy vanilla, butterscotch, and oak. And this finish continues the cinnamon/nutmeg spice and just goes on for days. Honestly, given that we always get our ECBP at SRP, this might be a repeat purchase for me, though I've tapped my whisky budget this month buying two bottles of Larceny Barrel Proof (my preferred barrel proof, maybe up until now) A124, which is also just delectable and which we also get at SRP. These bourbons are really knocking it out of the park this year (though ECBP A124 wasn't necessarily a rebuy, though I liked it).

Aroma is a mix of spicy, sweet, and woody notes; cinnamon sugar, clove, nutmeg, brown sugar, cedar, vanilla, leather, barrel char, and musty rickhouse (not a note I normally get from ECBP) Less nutty than other releases. Ethanol peeks through, but it’s 130 proof for god’s sake. Palate follows the nose very closely but also brings a surprising burst of stewed apple. Additional notes of red hots candy, baker’s chocolate, oak, pepper, and fresh leather. Prickly heat felt on the sides of the tongue. It’s quite bright, which at this proof point may not be the best match for me. Wait…Apple, cinnamon, oak…you know what this is? It’s Elijah Craig Small Batch cranked to 11. Extremely long finish keeps the cinnamon bear candy going to a ridiculous extent, along with dry oak, tobacco, black pepper, grape (?), and charcoal. Mouthfeel is a surprisingly thin lighter side of medium-bodied and quite frankly does not suit the flavor profile well as more weight would have elevated things. I’m a huge fan of this expression and I mean huge, but this particular release is not their best work. Lacking in balance and sweetness. While it is amazing that different releases are so dramatically unique, it’s less amazing when you get one that doesn’t suit your tastes. Still an incredible value at $79.99, but the only release of this expression that doesn’t earn a 4.0/rebuy rating.

Color: Nice medium amber (like most EC batches) Nose: Wow! Cinnamon, maple brown sugar, and Holiday spices. A phenomenal nose. Palate: (Drank with an ice cube) This stuff is not shy! Came on strong and hot on the first sip — hotter than I had anticipated! Spicy, sweet and slightly syrupy on the tongue. I really can't call up memories of past EC batches... but this one serms reminiscent of others I have had. However, wheress some batches have not made an immediate impression on me, this one has. It's potent and robust and rather enjoyable. After that initial heat assault on the first sip, it calmed down (the ice cube might have something to do with that). Finish: Lots of lingering spice and the tongue tingle I have become well-aquiainted with from high-proof pours. This is a great batch from Elijah Craig. If I can grab another after this bottle is killed, I definitely will. I want to mention one last thing... I could have scored this bottle for around $70.00. But I opted to wait for my trusty grocery store — that I walk to — to get it in. As a result, I paid $20 more for it than I really had to. But I can honestly say that this was worth paying the extra $$$ in order to not have to drive somewhere in order to buy it.

What an amazing whiskey, consistently delicious. The nose is hot - but not overwhelming, especially at over 130proof. A rich sweetness bounces between mcintosh apples, toasted brown sugar, molasses, and baking spice — including cinnamon and nutneg. The alcohol heat remains in the midst of all that sweetness to keep the aroma from being overwhelmingly sweet. Sitting longer brings aromas teminsicent of cherry or apple pie baking in the oven. Obviously the palate is hot, but not overwhelming to those initiated into the world of higher proof whiskies. The heat quickly transitions into a rich sweetness that coats the whole mouth. The brown sugar and caramel are very pronounced on the palate. A softer vanilla ice cream sweetness follows in the midpalate with apples. The mouthfeel is creamy and at times even chewy, the finish is long and warming, leaving a tingling sensation on the mouth from the higher proof. Crisp autumn air and apples blossom in the finish along with plenty of heat. One of my absolute favorite bourbons - and this 11y2m old release bottled at 130.6proof maintains my love of ECPB.

Rested ~15 minutes in Glencairn prior to tasting. Nose: Dark and sweet. Strong and bright cherry flavor punches through the ethanol burn. I'm starting to get a cherry cola flavor too. Heavy on the brown sugar and caramel too. Charred oak is prevalent too. Palate: Sweet and spicy. Fantastic chili pepper note on the front followed by more dark brown sugar and charred oak. It does make me miss the fruit from the nose, but it's very complex and unique. Mouthfeel: As I'd expect given the proof, this is a very thicc boy. It is hot but very oily and completely coats the palate. As I get further into this pour, I pick up more citrus / orange zest. Finish: Toasty and fairly intricate. Nicely warming with some lingering caramelized sugar and spice. Overall: This is really excellent. It's well rounded and fairly complex. I do tend to prefer a bit more cinnamon spice and vanilla, which I don't get a ton of on this.

NEAT NOSE - Loads of caramel and vanilla. There is also hints of cherry burried underneath a rich oak note. The nose is fairly bold but also teases some sweetness. PALATE - Mouthwatering. The mouthfeel is vicsous and chewy. Much better mouthfeel compared to A124. There is a ton of oak and caramel initially on the palate and from beginning to end. The cherry pops through on the palate here and there but the oak and caramel absolutely dominate the palate. The vanilla is not missed however and is definitely noticeable. FINISH - Long, bold and rich. BUY? - Absolutely. This is a really solid batch. BUY AGAIN? - Not a bad idea to back this one up, but I myself won’t. It’s great but I’ll likely get C924 instead of backing this up.