Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Barrel Proof
Nozinan Mystery Sample Series - 4
3 582
Review by @Nozinan
- Nose~
- Taste~
- Finish~
- Balance~
- Overall82
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Distribution of ratings for this:
- Brand: Elijah Craig
- Type: American
- ABV: 65.5%
- Batch: C917 (?batch 15)
Last summer @fiddich1980 provided 3 mystery samples for me and for @paddockjudge. This was sample C. We blind tasted them together over Facetime in the fall, and after writing preliminary notes the identities were revealed.
Tonight I completed my review notes with the sample. I don’t remember if I gassed it. It was a newly opened bottle when the sample was made and the 2 oz bottle was just over half full when I poured it tonight.
This expression is reviewed in my usual manner, allowing it to settle after which I take my nosing and tasting notes. No water was added tonight so I was able to pour the remainder back.
Nose:22/25
In the fall I got a typical bourbon nosewith cherry and brown sugar. Also grape sweet-tarts and cola bottle cap candies. Tonight there is a floral component. This is a very nice nose.
Taste: 18/25-21/25
In the fall I wrote that it burned on entry, and there was some sweetness and brown sugar. In the development it became quite bitter and astringent. Tonight it is still bitter but actually a lot less unpleasant. More peppery.
Finish:15/25-19/25
The finish was simply bitter before. It remains so but a little softer and more tannic.
Balance:18/25-20/25
All bitterness in the fall. Not too complex but powerful tonight.
Original tasting: 73/100 Jan. 13 review tasting: 82/100
This one was essentially undrinkable when I first tried it from the sample. It seemed to go well with @fiddich1980’s Crème Brûlée at his tasting, so airtime must be helping this one out. I’d be interested in knowing if it has developed further in his bottle since it seemed to do so in the sample bottle.
This is not the best ECBP I have tasted by any stretch, but given its changes over time it still has some potential. Thanks @fiddich1980!
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@Nozinan My bottle is sitting at about two-thirds full. I suspect that much like the bottling of Weller 12 before the bottle re-vamp it will improve with time and oxidization. The Weller 12 I had took over two years to reach it's peak. I've noticed that bourbons need awhile without gasing and air exposure to improve. The rich tobacco note and bitterness have calmed since it was first opened in the late spring of 2017. The flavours are becoming more "blended", as opposed to being sharp and definitive in the first few. I'll have to see how it evolves.