Every once in a while it's good to get back to some basics and that's what we'll do this week. We'll start with a standard bearer of good, affordable bourbon: Heaven Hill's Elijah Craig 12 year old. I'm a big fan of the 18 year old, but it's been hard to come by lately, so I thought I'd take a shot at the 12.
Elijah Craig 12 year old, 47% abv ($25)
On the nose I immediately pick up candied cherries and those candied pecans that street vendors sell. On the palate I get caramel, toffee, some nice woody notes and a bit of rye spice along with some caraway. It's a bit more alcoholic than I'd expect for the abv. The finish is slightly bitter.
I remember this one fondly, but I was a bit disappointed. Overall, I'd say it's worth trying and a good deal for the price, but not as good as I remember and not even close to the 18 year old in terms of quality.
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4 comments:
I appreciate the age statement and reasonable price. However, I also find the finish to be bitter, and that takes it down a few notches in my book. It's a shame too, because the nose is incredible. I get the same bitter finish from EWSB. Maybe I just don't jive with some HH products.
I was at Heaven Hill the other day trying through some barrels and they are going to release this 12 year as a single barrel here soon.
Perhaps it is a difference in palates or inconsistency in the product itself, but this has consistently been one of my favorites regardless of the price. I put against a Pappy 23 the other day and the EC12, for my palate and my money, more than held its own. The balance of sweetness and char really does it for my palate.
Another one I tend to enjoy quite a bit. One man's meat is another man's poison!
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