Elijah Craig Barrel Proof: A122

January 20, 2022 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample to me with no strings attached.

The Front Label of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. The wording states: "Uncut, straight from the barrel without chill filtration. 102.8 Proof, 60.4% ABV. Batch Number A122"

Have you ever seen a photo of a pile of sleeping puppies and thought to yourself, “Boy I wish I was part of that pile of cuteness?” Well, I’ve had a taste of that the last few nights sleeping with two 7-month-old puppies and a 10-month-old puppy. And if these guys are anything to go off of, that image isn’t nearly as comfortable as it looks. There is a LOT of movement in that pile. Sure, they will go to sleep resting their head on your shoulder. Making you think that they are going to be still and sweet all night. But then BAM! It’s one am and they’ve decided that it is playtime again. And even once they settle back down? So much kicking! Those sweet little puppy dreams aren’t nearly as sweet when what they are “running” across is the small of your back.

Damn things are really cute though. I’m guessing that is how they keep their mommies from eating them…

Anyway, that’s been my week. I hope yours has been filled with as much cuteness and happiness and not nearly as many claws, teeth, or puddles of pee.

As for tonight’s bourbon? Well, there isn’t a lot to say. I mean Heaven Hill didn’t even include a press release with this one. It’s the most recent version of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. It’s delicious as always. But we had a pretty special one last time around. Let’s see how A122 compares.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, A122

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. I have found previous editions locally for as low as $69.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine.

Price per Drink (50mL): $4.67

Details: 60.4% ABV. 12 years old. Non-chill filtered.

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, oak and nutmeg.

Mouth: Very warm in the mouth. Notes of caramel, vanilla, oak, chocolate, and baking spice.

Finish: Warm and long with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel.

Thoughts: Very good as usual. thick, rich, creamy, and nice and spicy. Both in the heat and the baking spice usages of the word.

Comparison to C921: A122 shows a lot more nutmeg on the nose whereas C921 is sweeter. C921 is sweeter compared to A122 and not as blindingly hot. The finishes are both long and warm. They are both very good, but if forced to pick I'd grab C921 over A122 because it just hits all the right notes for me. It has heat, but it isn't overpowering. There is sweetness but it isn't cloying. A122 by comparison feels extra hot in the mouth, which isn’t a problem since I’ll be adding water or ice to it when I drink it. And A122 really seems to focus on the baking spice notes, which is good too. I guess I just liked the last version better. I mean C921 won my 2021 Bourbon of the Year for a reason. It was hard to top.

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Yellow Spot Irish Whiskey

January 18, 2022 Eric Burke

As expected, I missed last week. Sorry about that. I was taking my mother to visit my Stepdad at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis every day. And with worried family at the house, I had no time for tastings. But as of now, he seems to be recovering as well as a Vietnam Vet who had life-threatening surgery a week ago can be.

In any case, while I was driving around killing time while my mom was visiting the hospital, I decided to visit some of the liquor stores in the area to see if I could find something to buy with the Christmas tips I received from dog clients. And suffice it to say that I did indeed find something.

A couple of years ago, one of my dogs clients gave me a bottle of Green Spot Irish Whiskey. It was delicious and I had the thought that I might grab another bottle of it using this year’s tips. While I was in the store, cash in hand (metaphorically) to keep me from overspending, I noticed that sitting right next to the Green Spot was a bottle of it’s older brother the 12-year-old Yellow Spot. And honestly, since I was buying myself a present, I decided to splurge and spend the extra $40 to try something new.

Let’s see how it tastes.

Yellow Spot Irish Whiskey

Purchase Info: $99.99 for a 750 mL bottle at South Lyndale Liquors, Minneapolis, MN.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.67

Details: 12 years old. Aged in Bourbon, Sherry, and Malaga casks. Non-chill filtered. 46% ABV.

Nose: Apricot, honey, nutmeg, mixed berries, and green tea.

Mouth: Green tea, honey, cinnamon candies, and nutmeg.

Finish: Medium to long. Not much heat, but a lot of flavor. Notes of apricot and baking spices.

Thoughts: I really like this. I think it might be as close to a Love rating as a non-Bourbon could get. If you think that Green Spot is worth the $60 asking price (which I do), then this is an easy upgrade pick at $100. It is very, very good. Not an everyday drinker at that price obviously, but instead a bottle that sits on the special shelf waiting for a special occasion or a good friend to arrive.

Jefferson's Ocean, Voyage 23

January 6, 2022 Eric Burke

My stepfather is in recovery tonight after an eight-hour surgery today at the VA hospital. During this time my mother is staying with us. Because who makes their mother stay alone in a hotel while she worries over her hospitalized husband? As such, I’m going to be spending as much time as possible distracting her from her worry. As such, it’s going to have to be a quick one tonight. In fact, as he is going to be recovering for at least the next week, I may miss an article or more next week. Sorry about that, but family comes first.

But I thought tonight’s whiskey might be fitting. When my mom arrived earlier this week, she brought a little something to repay me for letting her stay and for driving her to the hospital and back every day. And as luck would have it, it is something that I’ve never purchased before.

Jefferson’s Ocean is the fourth whiskey from the Jefferson’s Bourbon line that I’ve reviewed. I did their two standard releases back in 2017 and 2018 and then their now discontinued 18-year-old version way back in 2014. Jefferson’s is a sourced whiskey and they are very open about that fact. I described them in a previous review as “good chefs” that use their ingredients (sourced bourbon) to make something better than the sum of its parts. And as I admire the blender’s skill as much if not more than the distiller’s skill, that seems good enough for me.

Ocean is a bourbon that they put on an ocean-going vessel and then send around the world for a bit. Tonight’s version started in Savannah, GA, and visited Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and the US West Coast before making its way back to Savannah. If you are super curious, you can read about its voyage here.

Let’s see how it tastes.

Jefferson's Ocean, Voyage 23

Purchase Info: I got this as a gift, but my mom says it ran her almost $90.

Price per Drink (50 mL): about $6.00

Details: 45% ABV

Nose: Delicate and floral. Hints of caramel, mint, and fruit.

Mouth: Mint, baking spice, fruit, caramel, and vanilla.

Finish: Gentle and medium length. Notes of cinnamon, fruit, and eucalyptus.

Thoughts: This is a pretty underwhelming bourbon. Especially for the price it goes for. There is nothing wrong with the bourbon and I'll finish the bottle with no complaints. But it is just doesn’t taste like a $90 bourbon. In fact, it doesn't seem all that different than their entry-level Jefferson's Very Small Batch that goes for less than $30 locally. I like it, but due to the price, I'd give this one a pass unless you are a big fan of Jefferson's Bourbon.

Yellowstone Hand-Picked Collection: Cox's Evergreen Liquors Pick

January 4, 2022 Eric Burke

IMAGE: The front label of Yellowstone Hand Picked Collection. IT is from Cox's Evergreen Liquors, Louisville, KY. 115 proof.

Guess what? This is the last time I’ll mention my September trip to Kentucky. After tonight, I will have officially reviewed all of the bottles that I brought home.

I do a lot of shopping on that trip each year…

This last bottle is a store pick from one of a short list of liquor stores that I make sure to hit up every time I head to Louisville. I’m not a local, so I’m no expert on if the store is great or not, but Evergreen Liquors always seems to have a fun store pick when I stop by. And honestly, since I can get most brands at home, it is the store picks that I am most interested in these days. Especially if it is from a brand that I hadn’t previously had a store pick from. Like Yellowstone. I’ve had a lot of different expressions from the folks over at Limestone Branch, but this is a new one for me.

Let’s see if it was worth the wait.

Yellowstone Hand-Picked Collection: Cox's Evergreen Liquors

Purchase Info: $65.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Evergreen Liquors, Louisville, KY.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.40

Details: 57.5% ABV. Barrel#: 7571573. Barreled: 12/17/16

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon candies, and oak.

Mouth: Hot with strong notes of cinnamon candies right off the bat. Notes of caramel, chocolate, and oak follow.

Finish: Warm and long. Notes of caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, and mint linger.

Thoughts: This is a very tasty selection from a store that I think is one of the best at picking them. I've never regretted making the drive to one of the Evergreen locations when I visit Louisville. I'm loving the cinnamon/caramel/chocolate combination on this one. Delicious.

Bib & Tucker 12-Year-Old Single Barrel Select, Total Wine Selection

December 28, 2021 Eric Burke

IMAGE: A bottle of BIB & TUCKER 12-Year-Old Single Barrel Select sitting in the snow.

I am going to whine for just a moment. And boy oh boy, I’m certainly going to show my privilege. But my beloved Minnesota Golden Gophers are playing in a bowl game against West Virginia. The game is in Pheonix and starts at 8:15 pm local time. This means it starts at 9:15 pm in the home market of one of the teams and at 10:15 pm in the home market of the other. On a Tuesday. Now I’m not a TV exec or a Bowl Game President, but since most of the viewership of bowl games is happening via television broadcast, don’t you think it might have been smart to allow the fans of the two teams to actually watch the game? It’s driving me nuts. I hope it’s a boring game because I’ll probably be asleep before halftime.

Anyway. That is neither here nor there to you unless you happen to be a fan of either the Gophers or the Mountaineers. What you are here for is whiskey. And I have a pretty good one for you tonight. It’s gift-giving season at the moment so I chose one that would make a pretty attractive gift for the bourbon-lover on your list.

And yes, I know I’m doing this after Christmas…just go with it. Pretend the recipient has an upcoming birthday.

Last year we talked about the 6-year-old and 10-year-old versions of Bib & Tucker bourbon. I liked them both, though I mentioned that I thought they were a bit overpriced for me to buy for myself but that they would make a good gift. Let’s see if the older and more expensive version lives up to those standards.

Bib & Tucker 12-Year-Old Single Barrel Select, Total Wine Selection

Purchase Info: $99.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.67

Details: 49.5% ABV. Barrel number: 102418. Bottle number: 6. Age: 12-years-old. Distilled in TN.

Nose: Pear, cinnamon, caramel, and vanilla.

Mouth: Pear, milk chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and baking spice.

Finish: Medium heat and length. Notes of caramel, chocolate, honey, and fruit.

Thoughts: This is a tasty whiskey. It's probably not $100 tasty. At least not to me, considering what a 12-year-old from Knob Creek or a 15-year-old from Dickel is going for. However, it is tasty and the bottle is pretty so I'd be perfectly fine buying this as a gift for someone.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Tasters' Selection: 14E19 "Twin" Blend

December 21, 2021 Eric Burke

Quick one tonight as I have my parents staying over tonight so that I can take them to the VA Clinic right away in the morning. And, as much as I like you, I’d rather spend time with them instead of writing. If nothing else it will help keep everyone’s mind off of the upcoming appointment tomorrow.

Luckily we’ve already talked about a couple of whiskies in this series already so I can crib some of the post from last time.

Tonight’s whiskey is the last of the three of the Tennessee Taster’s Selections that I purchased on my September visit to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery. This time, we are looking at the Fall 2020 release: 14E19 “Twin” Blend. These bottles are only sold through the Jack Daniel’s Distillery Bottle Shop and select liquor stores in Tennessee. As we discussed the previous times we looked at one of these, the Tennessee Tasters’s Selections are limited, experimental releases that take a Jack Daniel’s product and play with it a bit. In this case they took 30 barrels of their Rye whiskey and blended it with 20 barrels of their standard Tennessee Whiskey. As you may be able to tell by the name 14E19, all of these barrels were filled on May 19, 2014, hence the “twin” name.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Tasters' Selection: 14E19 "Twin" Blend

Purchase Info: $34.24 for a 375 mL bottle at the White Rabbit Bottle Shop, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Lynchburg, TN

Price per Drink (50 ML): $4.60

Details: 53.5% ABV. Barrel entry date: May 19, 2014. 20 barrels of TN Whiskey blended with 30 barrels of TN Rye.

Nose: Oak, vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and leather.

Mouth: Oak, caramel, vanilla, cedar, cinnamon, ginger, and a touch of molasses.

Finish: Medium in both length and warmth. Notes of molasses and ginger.

Thoughts: I think my favorite baked good is a ginger- molasses cookie. They are soft, rich, and have just the right amount of bite from the ginger. This whiskey hits all of those same notes for me. I really, really like this one. And once again, I'm very sad I only bought one 375mL bottle.

Larceny Barrel Proof, C921

December 16, 2021 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Larceny Barrel Proof, Batch C921. Bottle sitting on a deck with snow in the background.

It’s been a very strange 24 hours here in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Last night, a thunderstorm spawned Minnesota’s first recorded December tornado. Luckily I got the storm a but not the tornado at my house. This was caused by temps of about 50 degrees during the day. Now, temps about 50 degrees only five days after a foot of snow are not unheard of in this locale, but it usually happens in April. Due to that rapid swing in temperature, we were forecasted to have winds of about 80 miles an hour overnight last night. Luckily for us, and the trees growing in my now saturated ground, that also seems to have missed my house. However, I did wake up this morning to temps in the low teens and even more snow. As I said, it has been a strange 24 hours. And that’s the weather, here’s Bob with traffic…

Yeah, sorry. No traffic report tonight. Because we are having bourbon and shouldn’t be drinking and driving… ba dum tss.

I am so sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me, I swear I haven’t been drinking. Maybe that’s the problem. Anyway, let’s just hurriedly change the subject to tonight’s bourbon. Tonight we are looking at the last batch of Larceny Barrel Proof for 2021. We’ve covered this plenty of times already so instead of me opening my mouth and potentially letting more horrible jokes pour out, here is what Heaven Hill has to say:

“Like each batch, this Larceny Barrel Proof is an uncut Small Batch of Bourbon aged six to eight years Bourbon bottled straight from the barrel. Heaven Hill distiller’s wheated Bourbon mashbill of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley continues to shine in this release.”

So let’s see how it tastes.

Larceny Barrel Proof, C921

Purchase info: This was graciously provided by Heaven Hill for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $49.99.

Price Per Drink (50 mL): $3.33

Details: 61.3% ABV

Nose: Oak, brown sugar, almond, vanilla, and baking spice.

Mouth: Sweet and spicy. Honey, vanilla, oak, and baking spice.

Finish: Warm and medium to long in length. Cinnamon, almond, and mint.

Thoughts: Nice and sweet with strong honey and spice notes. Great mouthfeel with a decently long finish. I really like this one.

Comparison to B521: The nose on C921 is similar to B521, but is more herbal. C921 is much sweeter and much spicier, showing a strong honey note that B521 is lacking. If I saw either of these in a store, I'd grab whichever they had. Both are good. However, if I had the unlikely opportunity to choose, I'd grab C921 every time. It is very, very tasty. Use a little ice though. It’s a hot one.

Rebel Single Barrel Store Picks: Distiller's Collection and Cask Strength

December 14, 2021 Eric Burke

Two weeks ago I covered a pair of Ezra Brooks store picks that I’d picked up in Kentucky and the branding program that led to each bottle having a different name. Tonight we are taking a look at the wheated versions of the same program by looking at a Rebel Distiller’s Collection store pick and a Rebel Cask Strength store pick. I went over the program in the Ezra Brooks post but to recap:

There are two main differences between these two labels. The first is the proof. Rebel Distiller’s Collection store picks are bottled at 113° proof while Rebel Cask Strength store picks are bottled at 120° proof. The other difference is in how the picks occurred. Distiller’s Collection picks are allocated and are done via samples sent to the retailer. There are no in-person barrel picks for these barrels. The Rebel Cask Strength picks, on the other hand, are not allocated and are only done at Lux Row Distillery. So what each label tells you, the consumer, is whether your retailer went to the distillery to pick the barrel or whether it was sent to them via samples. As I said last time, I’m sure there is a reason for this that I am not seeing since I do not work in either a distillery or a liquor store. But in any case, there you go.

So let’s check out a couple of store picks. The Distiller’s Collection is from Jax Liquors in Chattanooga, Tennessee and the Cask Strength is from Liquor Barn in Danville, Kentucky.

Rebel Cask Strength Single Barrel Selections

Rebel Distiller's Collection (Jax Liquors)

Purchase Info: $39.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Jax Liquors, Chattanooga, TN.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.67

Details: 56.5% ABV. Barrel #: 7503430. Barrel filled: 9/30/2016.

Nose: Dried grains, wheat bread, mint, and a hint of honey.

Mouth: Hot and sweet with a good mouthfeel. Notes of honey, cinnamon, and wheat bread.

Finish: Long and warm. Strong notes of cinnamon candies and honey.

Rebel Cask Strength (Liquor Barn #4)

Purchase Info: $58.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Liquor Barn, Danville, KY.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.93

Details: 60% ABV. Barrel#: 7270811. Barrel filled: 12/31/2015.

Nose: Dusty oak (think the inside of a rick house), cinnamon, and honey.

Mouth: Oak, cinnamon, chocolate, and orange.

Finish: Warm and long. Follows the mouth with notes of orange, chocolate, cinnamon, and oak.

Thoughts: These are both very good, yet noticeably different. The Jax Liquors bottle was very hot, but also really sweet. The Liquor Barn bottle showed much more oak and a sort of orange note that I found a bit surprising. The orange is kind of like the orange slice jelly candies. I wasn't expecting that. It's tasty though. The chocolate notes really elevate this one. If forced to choose I'd choose the sweeter Jax bottle. My wife however is drawn to the Liquor Barn bottle. Good thing we bought both!

Blog

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, A122

Yellow Spot Irish Whiskey

Jefferson's Ocean, Voyage 23

Yellowstone Hand-Picked Collection: Cox's Evergreen Liquors

Bib & Tucker 12-Year-Old Single Barrel Select, Total Wine Selection

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Tasters' Selection: 14E19 "Twin" Blend

Larceny Barrel Proof, C921

Rebel Cask Strength Single Barrel Selections

Rebel Distiller's Collection (Jax Liquors)

Rebel Cask Strength (Liquor Barn #4)