whiskey

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (Batch A117) Bourbon Review

Image courtesy of Heaven Hill


Barrel strength whiskey is something I always look forward to tasting.  Even though many are batched together (versus a single barrel release), it’s like tasting straight from the barrel.  No dilution is taking place before bottling.  The robust quality from these bottlings is something you don’t get from a standard whiskey release.

One of my favorites is Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (ECBP) from Heaven Hill Distillery.  This 12-year-old batched bourbon is offered several times a year.  Starting with this first batch of 2017, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is introducing batch numbers (sort of like Booker’s has been doing the past couple of years).  It was a fantastic idea for Booker’s, and I’m sure ECBP will experience some success from it.

The batch code breaks down like this: The first letter signifies the release batch of the year, while the numbers indicate the month and year of release.  So, A117 = the first batch of the year, released in January 2017.  The new batch numbering system will make it easier to track down which batch is which.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof batch A117 comes in at 127 proof.  While not the strongest batch I’ve seen by any stretch, 127 is still a high proof.  Let’s get to the tasting notes.

Dark brown sugar and molasses burst out of the glass, alongside touches of anise, vanilla and oak.  On the palate, this oily whiskey features hints of caramel corn, vanilla, tobacco leaf, and oak spices.  A splash of water brings out more oak.  The long finish warms the chest (perfect for winter), leaving behind lingering spiced caramel and slightly drying oak.

To this day, I haven’t run across a bad batch of ECBP.  I’m happy to report the streak continues.  Batch A117 might be a bit lower in proof than previous batches, but it’s just as complex and full of flavor as anything that’s come before it.  Nicely done.  8.5/10

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

Glenmorangie Bacalta Whisky Review

glenmorangie-bacalta-packshot-transparent-background

Image courtesy: Glenmorangie

I love experimentation in the whisky world.  Sure, the end result may not necessarily please, but the the fact that whisky makers are playing around excites me.  For quite some time now, Glenmorangie has developed a reputation for bringing some fantastic wine cask-finished whiskies to market.  In my book, Dr. Bill Lumsden is a top innovator when it comes to cask management.  The man can do some magical things with different types of casks.  The distillery’s standard lineup alone feature whiskies finished in sherry casks, port casks, and Sauternes casks.  Then take a look at Glenmorangie’s annual Private Edition releases.  They usually (but not always) feature a secondary maturation in a wine cask.  The 2017 addition to the Private Edition lineup is Bacalta.

Bacalta (Gaelic for ‘baked’) starts life off in ex-bourbon casks.  It then matures for a short undisclosed period in custom ex-Malmsey Madeira wine casks.  Malmsey wine is considered to be the sweetest of Madeira wines.  These casks are seasoned with Malmsey wine and baked outdoors in the sun for two years.  The wine was emptied and the casks shipped to Scotland, where they were filled with already matured Glenmorangie whisky.  The resulting whisky is bottled at 46% abv and is non-chill filtered.

I had the pleasure of tasting Bacalta the week before its worldwide launch at a local Glenmorangie tasting.  Though my palate was a bit exhausted after trying the entire Glenmorangie lineup before, my first impressions of Bacalta were positive.  I found it richly sweet, but not cloying.  It was also very fruity.  I’ve since spent more time with the whisky.  My first impression was correct.

The nose has hints of ripe peaches, marzipan, vanilla and some spice.  Dried apricots and berries add a fruitiness to a creamy custard base.  Ginger liqueur, honey, and crisp lemon zest are showcased on the mid-palate.  The medium finish features caramel chews, light wine, and fresh mint.

To me, this is the definition of a dessert whisky.  It’s quite lovely.  The Madeira wine cask finish plays really well with the light style, bourbon cask-matured whisky that comes out of the Glenmorangie distillery.  Very well done, and very much recommended!  9/10

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

That Time I Helped Pick a Batch of Booker’s Bourbon

Since starting this blog years ago, I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing many whiskey geek moments.  I count myself very lucky.  The most recent of these was the opportunity to take part in a Booker’s Roundtable tasting.  Every so often, Jim Beam Master Distiller (and Booker Noe’s son) Fred Noe will gather with a handful of whiskey writers, enthusiasts, experts, and friends to pick out the next batch of Booker’s Bourbon.  Booker used to pick batches of his namesake bourbon with friends, and I’m glad to see the continuation of that tradition.  This Roundtable consisted of Chuck Cowdery, Lew Bryson, F. Paul Pacult, Nino Marchetti, Blake Riber, John McCarthy, Jack Robertiello, and myself.  Batch 2017-01, or “Tommy’s Batch,” is named after a 30+ year distillery employee and close friend of Booker’s who helped Booker with his barrel picks.  He was also on the call.

Doing a little pre-call tasting of both batches.

Regular readers of this blog, and anyone within earshot of me, know I consider Booker’s the best whiskey in the standard Jim Beam lineup.  I find it much more balanced than the older Knob Creek, which is also delicious but carries an oak-forward flavor profile.  Booker’s was on bourbon lover’s radars recently with an announced price increase that takes effect with this very batch of Booker’s I am helping to select.

How does the Booker’s Roundtable work?  Those selected will meet in person in Kentucky or via a conference call.  The latter is the case for this particular Roundtable selection.  The distillery usually sends three samples to each participant.  The samples are different batches of Booker’s, each with slight differences.  Fred leads a tasting and shares some production notes.  Our job is to taste each sample and pick the one we believe tastes most like Booker’s.  The batch with the most votes then gets bottled and goes to market.

This Roundtable selection was a touch different.  Participants only received samples from two batches of Booker’s instead of three.  Noe said the reason for that was a shortage of barrels of age needed to craft batches of Booker’s.  He also mentioned it’s why Beam is only releasing four batches instead of the usual six this year.


The breakdown of the two samples is as follows:

Batch A is 128.2 proof.  335 barrels came from two different production dates (January 2009 & July 2010) and three different warehouse locations:

  • 41% came from the 6th floor of warehouse E
  • 13% came from the 6th floor of warehouse H
  • 46% came from the 7th floor of warehouse D.

Batch B is 124.1 proof.  Barrels came from 5 different production dates (January 2009 & January – October 2010) and 4 different warehouses:

  • 7% came from the 5th floor of warehouse H
  • 19% came from the 4th floor of warehouse F
  • 18% came from the 5th floor of warehouse D
  • 18% came from the 5th floor of warehouse F
  • 38% came from the 4th floor of warehouse E

Both were great tasting bourbons.  While I found Batch B to be a touch more balanced but slightly muted, Batch A hit it out of the park.  With the exception of one participant, everyone (even Tommy) decided Batch A made for a much better batch of Booker’s – a big, rich, robust “back alley bruiser,” as someone on the call eloquently described it.

“Tommy’s Batch” is due to arrive on shelves in late February/early March.

Thanks to the folks at Beam and Multiply for inviting me to take part in the Booker’s Roundtable.