Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon

I tourneyed this vs. my old middle-shelf favorite, Jim Beam Extra Aged, which beat out fifteen other whiskies (no, I didn’t do this all at once). The Elijah Craig won. Compared to the Jim Beam (which is still a great everyday bourbon, by the way), it’s spicier, has a much longer finish, and tastes somehow both less artificial and less funky/earthy. Spicy even to smell, with a bit of honeyed pear sweetness, it’s zingy but full enough to be more than just “sharp.” It mellows out nicely with a warm blush of vanilla apple. I love its drawn-out finish. PS: I can’t say exactly why I got different flavor notes this time; could be relative to what it’s paired against. But it was excellent on both tries.

This is my go to werknight bourbon. Its sweet, its baking soice forward, and rich and even has a bit of complexity to me. I love it neat, i love it for an old fashioned. I think it is the most versatile bourbon to me right now. The proof is great, its approachable and the warm baking spice note to it is exactkybwhat i look for. I see people say its herbal, i can see that. It gas some herbaceousness but i wouldnt be steered away from that. Its warm, its sweet, its balanced and the big boy bottle is only $59 around me. Its a great place to start and great to keep around.

A classic and affordable bottle, Elijah Craig Small Batch delivers everything you’d expect from a Heaven Hill product. It punches above its class with a well-balanced, flavorful profile. While I don’t reach for it as often as some of its Heaven Hill cousins, I always enjoy it on occasion. Nose: Herbal and spicy, with notes of burnt marshmallow adding depth. Palate: Sweet but not overly so, featuring red fruit like cherries, subtle baking spice, and a touch of pepper. Finish: A slow build that lingers, offering generous warmth without being overwhelming.

Every now and then I'll revisit this, hoping it'll be halfway decent. Most recently from a Costco because it was $23. I loved EC12 and knew when they promised the profile would remain consistent that it would not. And it hasn't. This is young, grassy, and just not fun to drink. WT101, BT, Rittenhouse, Early times, OF100, OGD100 are all about the same price, usually less, and are much more enjoyable neat. Given my past love of Heaven Hill, this now just tastes like disappointment. I'll try another bottle in three years and, once again, hope for the best.

I recently tasted Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon while hanging out with a group of folks and was unable to jot down notes while tasting. What I recall is caramel on the nose and a huge burst of caramel and some vanilla on the palate. This had a lengthy and pleasant finish. I'll have to have ECSB again in a setting when and where I'm able to take notes to jot down more specifics. While I wouldn't group this with my favorite whiskeys, I'd certainly say that ECSB is very good.

Served in a wide bottom low ball glass, 1 ice cube. On the nose i get plenty of caramel, apple and a touch of smoke from the barrel char. First sip comes with more caramel, apple pie, and a soft, sweet mouthfeel. It is quickly followed by smoke, leather, oak tannins and a lovely savory finish. Fantastic lingering flavor of fruit, herbs, and leather.