whiskey

Review: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (Batch C917)

The 12-year-old cask-strength powerhouse known as Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is hard to beat. It usually delivers an utterly delicious concentration of classic bourbon aromas and flavors that is almost impossible to pass up at $60 a bottle. The third and last release of 2017, batch C917, is bottled at a respectable 131 proof.

Batch B517 was an outstanding release in what is generally considered a very consistently solid line.

As I previously mentioned, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is the only EC release to carry a 12-year age statement. A couple of years ago, Small Batch’s 12-year age statement was controversially removed.  I’m not an age statement diehard, so the disappearance of that age statement didn’t bug me one bit.  I’m going off on a tangent.  Focus, Bobby.  Focus.

Back to the whiskey at hand.

The nose on Batch C917 features hints of sweet oak, molasses, grilled corn cakes and some spice.  On the palate, big, bold waves of caramels and spice cake almost overwhelm the senses.  Hints of cardamom, vanilla, and dark chocolate pop through mid-palate.  A nice, strong dose of oak, an expected note in the Elijah Craig brand, and leather hit the palate late.  The finish is long and warm, with a bittersweet note reminiscent of caramel-coated dark chocolate lingers.

Heaven Hill has another lively and fantastic bourbon release with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C917.  It does what a great barrel proof whiskey should do – transport you to a Kentucky rickhouse with every sip. I slightly prefer the previous batch B517 over this one.  The differences are minute.  Bad batches of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof simply don’t exist.  Recommended! 8.5/10

elijahcraig.com

Thanks to Heaven Hill for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review: Uncle Nearest 1856 Whiskey

As we move forward into the future, it is important not to forget our past. After all, the past is what shaped our present. The whiskey industry has taken that creedo to heart. Countless whiskies are named after their founders or important figures in the history of the spirit here in America.

One in particular stands out as of late – Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey. It’s a tribute to Nathan Green, a name you might not be familiar with. Nathan, who went by the name Nearest, was the man who taught a young Jack Daniel how to make whiskey back in the mid-1800s. That’s important enough, but what makes this story special is that Nathan Green was African-American. CBS News produced a great piece on the story, which I highly encourage you to watch.

As for the whiskey itself, it is distilled in Tennessee, maple charcoal filtered, and bottled at 100 proof. There is no age statement on the label, but the website states the whiskey is aged for a minimum of seven years. The producers of Uncle Nearest 1856 utilize two unnamed Tennessee distilleries. The SRP is $59.95. Though the brand is growing, as of the writing of this post the whiskey’s only available in select markets.

The nose is rather robust, thanks to the whiskey’s high proof. Hints of caramelized sugar, peach, vanilla, orange peel and minerals fly out of the glass. Taste-wise, Uncle Nearest stays in the same area as its nose. Candied stone fruits and flint sit on a bed of sweet maple wood. Some spice, cinnamon stick especially, pops up mid-palate. The long finish sees that spice intensify and introduce semi-sweet barrel char.

If I was a betting man, I’d say Uncle Nearest is sourcing whiskey from Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel. The former because of Green’s impact on the brand’s founder. The latter because of the slight minerality found in the whiskey, something I usually associate with Dickel.

Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium whiskey is an enjoyable pour. Its maple charcoal filtering smooths the rough edges, making the whiskey drink more like 90 proof than 100 proof. The whiskey’s stone fruits and minerality really stand out compared to others I’ve tasted, making Uncle Nearest’s flavor profile somewhat unique. Unique, though not utterly complex. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The more complex a whiskey, the more time you should spend dissecting aromas, flavors and the way those notes evolve. Sometimes you just want to relax with a pour of nice whiskey. For those occasions, Uncle Nearest fits the bill. 8/10

unclenearest.com

Thanks to Uncle Nearest for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 014 Review

I get excited when a new batch of Barrell Bourbon arrives at my doorstep. The folks making this aren’t looking for consistency between batches like most big time labels. Contrarily, each batch is unique in flavor profile. That allows the blender a nearly unlimited playground to play with when creating a new batch. That, to me, is exciting.

Barrel Bourbon Batch 014 started life with some 9-year-old barrels from Batch 012. A parcel of 9-year-old bourbon barrels were added and topped off with some 14-year-old bourbon. Like all of the company’s releases, Barrell Bourbon Batch 014 is bottled at cask strength. In this case we’re talking 109.4 proof. All the whiskies in this batch were distilled in Tennessee and Kentucky.

The rich nose features hints of caramel corn, vanilla extract, sweet oak, and a touch of herbs and some floral notes. Taste-wise, there is lots going on here. Cinnamon sticks and cardamon kick things off, leading to waves of toffee, butterscotch, rye spice and fruit. Tobacco and leather develop in the mid-palate along with toasted oak and a small blast of refreshing spearmint. The finish is long with hints of caramelized fruit, spice, and oak.

I’ve gotta say this has hit a sweet spot for my palate. It’s built upon classic bourbon flavors with the fruit and spice notes dialed up a notch. Barrell Bourbon’s winning streak continues. Highly recommended! 8.5/10

Barrellbourbon.com

Thanks to Barrell Bourbon for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.