Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch A121 Kentucky Straight Whiskey 750ml

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a product from Heaven Hill Distillery. Named after the founder of bourbon, Reverend Elijah Craig, this whiskey packs a 12 year age statement and is bottled at barrel proof. Three batches of Elijah Craig are put out every year, and this particular one is the first batch for 2021. Let’s take a closer look at the batch name. In A121, the “A” denotes that it is the first batch of the year, “1” is the month that it was released in (January), and “21” signifies the year it was released in. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is uncut, unfiltered, and bottled straight from the barrel.

Uncut, straight from the barrel without chill filtering, the nose, taste, and finish created by 12 years of aging are preserved in their simplest form. At full barrel proof, you can enjoy Elijah Craig much the same way our Master Distillers do when they sample straight from the barrel in our Kentucky rickhouses. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a bold and honest expression of what charred oak barrel aging can do for Bourbon, from the man who originated the process.

Elijah Craig Batch A121 is an uncut Small Batch of 12-year-old Bourbon bottled straight from the barrel. The variance in proof from batch to batch presents a unique opportunity to explore the impact of the angel’s share and the resulting proof in a small batch of barrels.

Nose:

Nose is strong on the wood, but more cedar and pine than oak, plenty of the sweet side of the oak is there, thick with vanilla and caramel, with a little wood spice-driven cinnamon and dryness.

Palate:

On the palate, it’s light on the tongue. The whiskey is surprisingly restrained, given that it’s over 60% alcohol, but at the same time it’s not one that absolutely requires a little water to dial it down. I found it drinkable as is.

Finish:

The finish is also on the light side, and is where the woodiness really kicks in, going down a good bit oaky and a little bit spicy.