In an effort to save a bit of money, I’ve been on a mission to find a good whiskey that wont break the bank. Furthermore, as a scotch whiskey lover, I realized that I know surprisingly little about its other worldly brethren. The ongoing series, Booze on a Budget, is my attempt to remedy that problem.





Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a reputation for being a solid whiskey, distilled in small batches in charred oak casks. It’s won several awards, and most people on various whiskey forums really like it. Also, with a price tag of CDN $39, it’s not going to break the bank.

The dram is dark amber in color and has a spicy, earthy nose. It’s very peppery and malty, with a harsh medicinal finish that burns on the way down.

Given all the praise, I had high expectations for this whiskey. However, after a few drinks, both neat and mixed into a manhattan and an old fashioned, I just don’t get what all the fuss it about. Drinking this whiskey neat reminds me of a homemade remedy I once concocted, in order to deter a few stray cats that insisted on screwing outside my apartment window every night (i.e. dirt, cayenne pepper, and feline effluvium). It’s not as bad when mixed into a cocktail, but it doesn’t hold everything together well either.

Final Grade – 3 out of 10

What are your thoughts? Feel free to agree or disagree in the comment section below.