Review

Elijah Craig 18 Year

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Elijah Craig Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Aged 18 Years
Barrel No. 2944, barreled on 4/1/1991
45% ABV/90 Proof
$50
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
The oldest Single Barrel Bourbon in the world at 18 years, Elijah Craig Single Barrel is a rare marvel of whiskey-making. Only a handful of the millions of aging Bourbon barrels are allowed to mature this long, resulting in an extremely complex, layered sensory experience. The barrels are hand selected by Parker and Craig Beam, and after 18 years of Kentucky seasons nearly 2/3 of the contents of the barrel have evaporated into “Angel’s Share”!

What Richard Says:
Nose: Black cherry, carmael turtles, a little musty, honey wheat bread and with water I get honeysuckle.
Palate: Very Bitter and spicy when it first hits the mouth. Plenty of peppery spice, oak and a hint of sweetness. Water sweetens the palate noticeably making it reminiscent of sweetened condensed milk. Great classic bourbon flavor!
Finish: The finish is very nice and improves on the palate. It leave a slightly sweet warmth with lost of cracked black pepper.
Comments: Elijah Craig 18 is a real bourbon’s bourbon. Not too cute or flashy. Straightforward classic bourbon. You can find it for under $50 if you look hard enough and for an 18 year old single barrel bourbon now a days that’s pretty damn good.
Rating: Stands Out

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Elijah Craig 12 Year Old

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Elijag Craig 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
47% ABV/94 Proof
$20 to $25
Widely available

What the Distillery Says:
In 1789, Rev. Elijah Craig, the “Father of Bourbon,” became the first to age his whiskey in charred oak barrels. Our Master Distillers, inspired by his innovative spirit, have been perfecting the “small batch” process before it even had a name. They select a limited number of barrels of 12-year-old Bourbon that have matured to their exact specifications, then mingle them in limited quantities as Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon.

What Richard Says:
Nose:Buttery sweet toffee and orange pith.
Palate: Caramel and toffee sweetness that bowls over wildflower notes on the way to rich oak, black peppercorns, and vanilla. Water sweetens the palate and tones down the oak.
Finish: The finish is hot but quickly mellows.
Comments: It seems a little elementary to say that this tastes like bourbon. Are there better noses, palates, and finishes in the bourbon world? Yes, but E.C. 12 sits right dead center. It’s fine neat, on the rocks, or mixed. Like the 18 Year Old, it is a solid value for a bourbon of it’s age.
Rating: Stands Out, Great Value

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Pocket Shot

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Pocket Shot Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Aged 4 Years
40% ABV/80 Proof
$
Available in select US markets

What the Company Says:
Pocket Shot is full bodied Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced the way Kentucky Bourbon used to be made, aged to perfection in charred Oak Barrels.
What Richard Says:
Nose: Real wood charcoal, antiseptic, and Pinaud Clubman
Palate: There’s really not a lot of flavor here. It’s like bourbon’s answer to vodka. Rather smooth but very bland.
Finish: Equally bland with with palate. I’m left with wood chips and chalk.
Comments: Yeah, so no one is really expecting great whiskey out of a plastic pouch. I’m assuming the idea is to have something that’s easy to carry, shoot back, or dump in Coke. It’s probably more about the packaging than what’s in it. When Matt brought this back from Colorado I thought he had to be kidding. It’s been sitting on my shelf languishing for quite a while. I wouldn’t buy this myself. For those interested, they also make a version with vodka (big surprise), rum, spiced rum, tequila, gin, and brandy so that you can pick your poison.
Rating: Probably Pass

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Wild Turkey American Spirit

/ / Bourbon, Review, The Collector's Cabinet /

Wild Turkey American Spirit 15 Year Old Bourbon, Bottled in Bond
50% ABV/100 Proof
Originally – $100
Collectible

What the Distillery Says:
Created by legendary master distiller Jimmy Russell and his son, associate distiller Eddie Russell, American Spirit is bottled at bond proof, in a super premium package, and limited to just 24,000 bottles globally. Bourbon is a true American innovation and the US Senate passed a resolution officially declaring September 2007 National Bourbon Heritage Month. Our American Spirit was released to coincide with this momentous occasion.

What Richard Says:
Nose: The nose is very rich and smooth with lots of cinnamon and vanilla. Water opens up the oak on nose.
Palate: I get a lot of molasses cookies and mint sprigs with vanilla. A little water really makes this one sing. The palate turns very creamy.
Finish: The finish is amazingly smooth given the BIB proof.
Comments: This is sadly the last of my bottle. It was almost gone and so Matt and I had to hurry up and review it. No more to be found around me. I challenge anyone who says they don’t like Wild Turkey to try this if they can. Plus, it’s bottle in bond! You just don’t see enough of those anymore.
Rating: Must Try

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Cutty Sark Blended Malt

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Cutty Sark Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
40% ABV/ 80 Proof
$20
Available across the U.S. and select international markets

What the Distillery Says:
I’ve got nothing here and Cutty Sark’s website is damn near impossible to navigate.

What Richard Says
Nose: Apple juice, cotton fields, and old furniture.
Palate: It’s harsh and tart. Definitely not my favorite blended malt.
Finish: The finish is quick and smooth at first but then it leaves you with a very medicinal and woody taste.
Comments: I pulled the trigger on a bottle of this because it was on sale for a ridiculously low price at my local liquor store. Please don’t judge everything Cutty Sark does by this bottling. I tried it a few times and then quickly relegated it to the “whiskey sour” cabinet. I only pulled it out again so that Matt and I could review it before it was all gone.
Rating: Probably Pass

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