Table Of Contents
The Details
| Rating | 94 2023 Top 50 |
| Style |
Bourbon American Whiskey Whiskey |
| Produced In |
Kentucky United States |
| ABV | 66.5% |
| Availability | Limited |
| Price | $74.99 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Review Updated | 2023-12-19 |
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch C923 Review
In May 2023, Heaven Hill announced its Elijah Craig Barrel Proof releases would cease to carry a standard 12-year age statement. Beginning with 2023’s second release, batches would feature more specific age listings by year and month, which could be below or above that 12 year mark.
At the time, the distillery also released some general info about the year’s remaining releases. Batch B523 — the first to drop the guaranteed 12 years — would clock in at 11 years, 5 months old. But Batch C923 — the third and final release for 2023 — would be a whopping 13 years and 7 months old, giving fans of older age statements a sense of relief. (And hope that Heaven Hill would continue to occasionally release age-stated Barrel Proof above 12 years.)
Today, we’re looking at Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon, Batch C923. At well over 13 years old and 133 proof (on the higher end even for these releases), it’s already one of the year’s most anticipated wide releases. But will it hit the high marks of a series renowned for consistency and quality?
Like all Elijah Craig bourbons, it’s made from a mash bill of 78 percent corn, 10 percent rye, and 12 percent malted barley. As a quick reminder, the age statement signifies the youngest whiskey in these blends, so it’s likely there’s even older bourbon in each bottle.
Let’s see how this latest batch stacks up.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C923: Stats and Availability
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is released three times per year. Batch C923 carries a suggested retail price of $74.99, and it’s bottled at 133 proof.
These releases are nationwide and generally arrive in high enough quantities to be easily findable on retail shelves, often at (or occasionally under) MSRP. Given that this particular batch carries the highest-ever age statement for Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, there’s some concern it will be more coveted by collectors, which could tick prices upward. However, I anticipate this will still be somewhat readily available within $15 of suggested retail pricing.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C923 Review
As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.
Nose
C923 comes out swinging with robust and incredibly dark caramel on the nose, along with oily cedar wood and deeply roasted pine nuts. That wood influence — particularly this cedar note — is followed by dried tobacco, leather varnish, and a bit of dark chocolate. This is a bold, unapologetic, no-holds-barred Elijah Craig nose, one of the brashest expressions I’ve smelled in the last few years of releases. (Proof chasers will already be salivating at this point.)
Toward the front of the nostrils, there’s also a bit of blood orange, a pop of juiciness cutting through the middle of those oaky, leathery, and woody aromas. It’s just enough fruit to make its presence felt, like a splash of acidity used to brighten up a decadent dessert.
Batch C923 noses every bit of its 133 proof, but for Elijah Craig Barrel Proof fans, that’s a feature, not a bug.
Taste
Imbiber be warned: This takes a few sips to acclimate the palate, but the reward is well worth that effort. There’s heavy interplay between caramel and tobacco on the front, with more pronounced spice gradually making its way to the back of the tongue. All of this takes time, and I’d recommend a couple small warmup sips — or potentially a different, lower-proof warmup bourbon — to get your palate ready for a bold hit of flavor.
That spice leans increasingly toward fresh cracked black pepper as it unfolds, but not in a way that dulls the sweetness on subsequent sips.
There’s acidity here, too, more lemon than orange, and that creates a mouthwatering, savory lemon-pepper combo as the first notes of caramel and tobacco sweetness dissipate. It’s almost a little too hot to be described as “balanced” (I wouldn’t have complained about a more subdued experience on the front of the palate), but overall the heavy ethanol notes do more to accentuate the flavors here than to overpower them.
Finish
The finish here is long and inviting, while staying plenty heavy on heat from the ethanol. (But really, if you’re in the market for this particular whiskey, would you want it any other way?) Pepper and lemon drops warm in tandem with the alcohol all the way down. The bourbon ultimately finishes with a “Kentucky hug” that reaches from the back of the tongue almost all the way to the stomach.
As with all Elijah Craig Barrel Proof releases, I toyed around with adding various amounts of water. About two drops per half ounce of whiskey made a noticeable change that didn’t fundamentally alter what’s great about this bourbon. Instead, it tempered the heat just enough to bring out more orange and lemon candy. It also dulled the pepperiness just enough to bring the sweetness into even better balance.
I’m not always a proponent of diluting Elijah Craig’s strongest releases, but in this particular instance, a judicious dropper does some real work.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C923 Rating
94/100
Recap
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C923 should do a lot to assuage fears of a linear drop in quality, at least temporarily. It’s a forceful expression that clobbers deliciously when sipped neat and gains a bit more finesse with water or ice.
Here’s the thing: While this batch is mighty tasty, its few (and I mean tiny) weaknesses illustrate that perhaps, just maybe, older isn’t always better for these expressions. Younger whiskey in the batches could actually bring more fruit and balance against the heavy-hitting, leather-and-wood notes we know Elijah Craig offers at higher ages.
By replacing that 12 year mark with more specific age statements, Heaven Hill has added a new variable for these thrice-yearly releases. And while it’s easy to complain about the removal of a guaranteed, standard age statement, we’ll now have more information than ever regarding exactly what’s going into each barrel proof blend. For now, I’m excited to take each batch as it comes, then assess accordingly.
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