The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Father John Rayls
Rating: A+
2015’s Elijah Craig 18 Year Old
(Credit: John Rayls)
Heaven Hill Distillery is producing some of the finest of America’s whiskey. Elijah Craig 12 is the best bourbon around for under 30 bucks, and in my opinion Elijah Craig Barrel Proof was the best new whiskey last year. Their Pikesville Rye is a Top 3 contender for best rye on the market. What more can a distillery that owns the 2nd largest stash of aging bourbon in the world do?
A start would to bring back the much loved Elijah Craig 18 year old. Actually, they already did this for 2015, but it’s unclear if that the expression is back annually.
After winning a boatload of medals for this bourbon, they ran on some hard luck and decided their aging stock wasn’t measuring up. Master Distillers Craig Beam and Denny Potter took the 18 year off the market in 2012, bringing it back this past fall in 2015. Only 15,000 bottles were released, bottled at 90 proof (45% abv). The 18 year old is a single barrel bourbon, which will allows for some slight variations from barrel to barrel.
Mine was from barrel number 4218. Thinking about that makes me want to ask what were you doing 18 years ago?
The Bourbon
This is simply a beautiful-looking bourbon, with a slightly darker appearance in the bottle than in the glass. It is a warm, calming, inviting shade of brown mixed with mostly orange and some slight red shading. However, hold it up to a light to see the beautiful yellow patterns appearing as the light bends through the glass and whiskey. The legs are very long and predict something very special.
The nose is not as powerful as I expected. It is a very pleasant journey through a Vermont maple forest at syrup harvesting/producing time. There is a base of sweet maple, vanilla and spice rising from the glass with some slight nuttiness. There isn’t any alcohol burn…just very enjoyable aromas that aren’t very difficult to distinguish. I wouldn’t say it’s subtle, but it’s not making a lot of noise either. It’s slow and steady and very inviting. I think I actually heard it calling my name…
The appearance of the legs didn’t lie. At the first sip, the mouth and tongue are coated immediately with a very soft, lingering goodness. The first sensation is in the back and top of the mouth. It quickly jumps to the front on the tongue before settling in at mid-mouth. All most all of the action happens here with some additional movement again to the front of the mouth on the sides of the tongue and even underneath for a very nice finish. It is a long pleasant finish that ends in a subtle, quiet manner. There are hints of honey, pepper, smokiness (charred oak), and slight vanilla. This bourbon is never over-powering. It is very smooth and easy to drink. It certainly is a complex bourbon and I would suggest drinking it neat at room temperature.
The Price
The only real downside to this fantastic bourbon is its price tag. You will find it retailing at $120, if there is enough to go around. Remember the demand is high and prices may vary. Although this bourbon is significantly above my price range, I can’t argue with the unbelievable taste and sheer enjoyment of consuming it, which has raised the bar on my “Whiskey Experience.”
A fine review and I whole heartedly agree. The 18 is fine as is the 23 and a sheer bargin compared to the same aged bourbons from you know who. As a pre-boomer (feel free to coin that term) HH has always but out great product even with abit of the SW juice added. It’s no Hirsch Blue Wax but it’s a damn good bourbon that can be bought off the shelf as I picked up 3 bottles this year and a case of 23 last year ALL for retail prices!! Take that you flippers 😉 –
I still have several bottles of the 18 year old from before they stopped bottling it. How field the “new” 18 year old compare to the old?
I would die for one bottle to round out my EJ collection. I drank mine like a fool. I have a 20, and 23.
I need an 18 from prior to the stopping. Would you consider?
I would die for one bottle to round out my EJ collection. I drank mine like a fool. I have a 20, and 23.
I need an 18 from prior to the stopping. Would you consider?
Well not actually DIE. LOL..
where in the hell are you guys finding 18 on the shelf?
I’ve seen a few bottles pop up in New York City this month, but they’re about 300 dollars. Which are the pros and cons of buying whisky here: You can usually find what you’re looking for, but everything’s overpriced.
Barrel 4442, bottled 9/11/17 — Upon arrival I didn’t think I was going to like this Whiskey. Canadian whiskey critic Blair Philips had described something like oak leaving splinters in the nose and I found this to be true. But like all good whiskey, first impressions needed to be worked through. The second tasting was with a neighbor couple and my initial impressions were significantly altered with a thorough tasting session. We went through a number of fingers of this wonderful liquid and I came away with a far greater appreciation of the value and quality here. I will tuck another bottle aside, along with a second Midleton Very Rare while they are still available. Amazing what a difference 10% proof can make with two very fine whiskeys. The Midleton is so smooth as to be barely whiskey tasting and more like dessert. This Craig 18yr old is just about perfect, to my mind, for what makes for a great glass of Bourbon whiskey.
I’ve got an EC18 barreled on 10-8-76 from barrel 019 never opened. What do you think?