Review #1286 – Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch 11

This is a moderately elusive release from Elijah Craig, which is Heaven Hill distillate bottled at cask strength. This is one of the final “old label” batches that features the old bottle design, old label design and no batch number, back when batches had to be noted by the ABV of the bottling run. Let’s dive in.

Review #1286 | Bourbon Review #591

Distiller: Heaven Hill

Bottler: Heaven Hill

Selection: N/A

ABV: 69.7% ABV

Age: 12 Years

Nose: Powerful and intense. Cherry cola, caramel, vanilla. Really prominent honey notes. Rich oak without unwelcome bitterness. Really powerful cola note that goes on forever.

Taste: Thick and rich. Some heat, but in check. Powerful oak, cherry cola and cocoa. Tons of toffee, rich oak and a sweet vanilla profile that gives this dram the feeling of a powerful adult cola.

Finish: Long, hot but balanced. Load of sweet cocoa, cherry cola, caramel and a nice tannic, dry exit.

Overall: Really an impressive bottle, and a welcome taste to complete another missing entry in my ECBP list of batches. This is a winner for sure, and harkens back to the days of these being cherry cola bombs.

Thanks for reading!

Rank: 7

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Decoded:

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect