Today's whiskey is probably the best bourbon I've owned. It's nearly gone and I feel I need to write about it a bit. It was a really nice gift and I've made it last.
I like bourbon, and it continues to grow on me even though I still think the flavor profiles are in a fairly narrow band, compared to scotch. But I haven't visited any bourbon distilleries, or even been to Kentucky, and don't know the provenance. I can, however, look things up. Part of the fun writing up Scotch is I've often visited the distillery and/or know about it. That's not the case here. Nonetheless, it's good stuff.
Elijah Craig brand whiskey is made in Kentucky, as are most good bourbons. According to Wikipedia, it's produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, which also makes Evan Williams and Henry McKenna (and others). This bottle is an Elijah Craig Small Batch Barrel Proof. It's 133.4 proof (66.7% alcohol) and labeled Batch B518. 'Barrel Proof' implies that it comes straight out the barrel and into the bottle, though sometimes this terminology is just a name and not actually done that way. In this case it is done that way, per the label.
I first wanted to get my hands on a bottle of this because it topped a couple of best bourbon lists I'd read. Considering the reputation the whiskey had, it was also supposed to be relatively affordable, like ~$65-80. Also, I've generally preferred high proof bourbons (love that burn) and often dislike the lower proof ones. At least that had been my experience with bourbon up until this point. For example, here are a few bourbons I had strong opinions on and their proofs:
Knob Creek (100 and 120) - Loved
Henry McKenna BiB (100) - Loved
Basil Hayden (80) - Disliked
Makers Mark (90) - Disliked
So it seemed to me I wanted to stick with higher proofs and definitely wanted to try this well regarded one. As a novice bourbon-hunter I never was able to find it. It probably wasn't being stored on the shelves if places even had it in stock. I have to look behind the counter, as my friend Jake (a better bourbon-hunter) has reminded me. This is a good example of a bourbon that isn't widely released so the bottles are sought after and simply hard to locate.
Then I was given this bottle by the same more bourbon knowledgeable friend. I think it was following the birth of our son, though either way that's how I'll remember it. If I've never explained before, I always drink whisk(e)y neat, at least at first. A bit of room temperature water is okay if you want to cut it a little or discover the subtleties. But I'll never put ice in my glass, because lowering the temperature dulls the flavor and I like the taste.
Any-hoo, here are my thoughts.
Smell: Mostly alcohol, though the bourbon sweetness is evident
Color: A dark reddish caramel, hard to see through
Taste: It's oh so strong, but it packs a perfect balance of richness and sweetness
Finish: Beautiful long-lasting sweet warming burn, best part of the whole experience
As I've stated already, this is a wonderful whiskey and one of the best I've owned. Absolutely the best bourbon. I learned the first time I had it that you need to be careful, probably just a one and done, because it's so strong. At >130 proof it's a beast and not to be messed with.
I'm happy to say I have another one already, though a slightly lower proof. This is a whiskey to always have a spare.
Comentários