I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
As I mentioned last week, I started with a personal trainer. I’ve got one workout under my belt…and I can’t move my legs. I literally fell down the stairs last night they were so wobbly. One 45-minute workout and my hips stopped working for a couple of days. Apparently, I am no longer young. And apparently, I also didn’t make my lack of fitness abundantly clear to the online trainer I’m using. I’ll have to fix that the next time we chat.
Well, I may not be young, but neither is tonight’s whiskey. This 12-year-old beast is a triannual release from Heaven Hill. It is barrel-proof at 121° proof and it is delicious. We’ve been covering these for a while now and I don’t need to tell you that they have all been great. You know it, I know it. So let’s dig in and see how this one compares to recent releases.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, B522
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: 60.5% ABV. 12 years old. Non-chill filtered.
Nose: Oak, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla.
Mouth: Hot in the mouth with notes of oak, leather, cinnamon, chocolate, and ginger.
Finish: Long and warm with notes of chocolate, mint, oak, anise, and ginger.
Thoughts: What can I say? This is delicious, as usual. It's hot, thick, and rich. There's a joke in there somewhere, but I'll let you make it. I'm getting a lot of oak influence this time around. If you are a fan of well-aged bourbon, pick this one up.
Comparison to A122: Both of these are quite hot. They really want a cube of ice or a splash of water. B522 showcases the oak notes that 12 years in a barrel can bring. A122 focuses more on the caramel and spice notes. Both are very good, and which you prefer will be highly subjective. I prefer B522 while my wife prefers A122. And the best part of that is that we are both right in our assessment. It’s not often two married people can both be correct.
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