Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
94 Proof
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon is the latest addition to the Elijah Craig line. The original Elijah Craig bourbon is finished in a second “custom toasted” and “flash charred” new oak barrel for an undisclosed amount of time to create this bourbon. The process is similar to that used for Woodford Doubled Oaked, although the end result is a bit different.
Tasting Notes
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 20 minutes in a Glencairn
👉🏻Nose: Sweet, rich, burnt caramel, toffee, oak, leather, black cherry soda. Alcohol is barely noticeable.
👉🏻Taste: Oak, caramel, toffee, mild sweetness.
👉🏻Finish: Oak dominates, but caramel and toffee are still there, but are subtle. Some black pepper comes forward. An oaky dryness replaces the initial rich sweet aromas and lingers for quite a while.
My initial nosing reminded me of a creme caramel. If only that same full taste and richness continued on into the flavor and finish! But alas, those flavors are fairly rapidly replaced by an oaky dryness, with just a vague remnant of that initial wonderful aroma.
In conclusion
I was eager to try this Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon because I enjoy double oaked style whiskeys, and I had read and heard some great reviews on the major sites and podcasts. However, it seemed my results would vary. 🤷🏻♂️ This was one that I had to try a number of times over the course of a week, because when I first opened it, the rich aroma wasn’t really there and the flavors hadn’t developed yet. Honestly, I was quite disappointed in it. It has improved with time, although I am not loving how dry and oaky the finish is. It starts off nicely balanced but unfortunately gets pretty wobbly near the end…. Maybe this will open up some more over time? We’ll see. 🥃
Would you like to read more about the history of Elijah Craig and charred barrels? Then check out this article: “Elijah Craig – Father of Bourbon?“
