Archives Binny's Handpicked Heaven Hill 10 Year American Whiskey - No. 00185

VITALS:

- $120

- 129.0 proof

- 10 years

- No. 00185

- Kentucky/Netherlands

It has certainly been a while since my last post. Quite frankly, keeping up with reviewing everything I finished got to feel a bit like a chore. I'd get busy with work, and the next thing I knew I had four or five bottles sitting on my table waiting for me to write up a new post. And, the last thing I want is for this "hobby" to be tedious -- kind of defeats the point.

But, after take a break from writing reviews for a few months (sadly there will be a number of bottles that just won't be part of my own personal whiskey blog journal), the itch came back and I find myself wanting to write about one of my favorite things in this world, that sweet liquid sunshine!

So, for my first foray back into my whiskey musings, I've chosen to take on one of three bottles sitting on my shelf of Heaven Hill 10 Year single barrels bottled by Archives and handpicked by Binny's. I'm not going to lie, I had to grab three of these because, after all, each bottle had a different butterfly on it, and I kind of dug the design. Dumb reason to buy a whiskey, I know, but I've certainly made poorer decisions in my life!

Released in 2020, from my understanding these were selected by Archives, but then exported to the Netherlands where they were then aged for 10 years, only to be re-imported to the United States for such thirsty whiskey enthusiasts such as myself to try.

The nose had just a little bit of oak to it, along with a rich nuttiness, like walnut. However, it didn't allow itself to be bitter, even though it seemed to teeter on that edge. I also got a decent dark chocolate note, again lending to that rich, but not sweet, quality to the nose.

As far as flavor, friends of mine who had also picked these bottles up when they were released told me that these drank very "hot," with the alcohol burn taking over much of the flavor. One of them even likened to a high-proof corn whiskey. So, I was not optimistic going in. Yet, I first cracked this bottle open at a tasting among friends, and of the seven or eight bottles in the line-up (some of which were very nice bottles), this was the favorite by a majority decision.

This was actually on the sweeter end of the spectrum for Heaven Hill products. It certainly had heat given its proof, but it did not drink "hot" such that the heat took away from the flavor. Rather, there were sweet coffee notes, with that sweetness coming from a burnt sugar profile. It had more of that rich toffee note than a sweet caramel note, but it was still certainly a sweeter whiskey.

It had a great oily mouthfeel to it, and that viscous quality seemed to lend to a butterscotch note that really seemed to come forward on the backend and particularly on the finish. Interestingly, I got a bread note, but, to get somewhat hyperspecific, it was like the crunch crust of a good, hearty bread. I don't know that I've ever considered putting butterscotch on bread crust before, but perhaps I need to try it, as it really worked here.

This was a very unique and interesting, and at the same time delicious bottle of Heaven Hill. It was different than any other I can recall having, and yet it was really good. And, it made for a fun bottle to share with other bourbon drinkers.

Grade: A-

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Batch No. B523

VITALS:

- $70

- 124.2

- 11 yrs, 5 mos.

- Batch No. B523

- Kentucky

Somewhere along the line I got to a point where I stopped buying these bottles. My guess, given this batch number, is that point occurred somewhere around Summer of 2023.  At one point these Elijah Craig Barrel Proofs were pretty scarce and it was a good day when you'd stumble upon one sitting on the shelf.  Now, however, I can go into my local Binny's and see stacks of boxes of the newest release sitting on the floor.

While they're not all 12 years, they're close enough as far as I'm concerned. And I do like the transparency on the age. And, it's not as though it's decreased in quality in any meaningful manner.  In fact, when I get those cravings for a good, high proofed bourbon, these are frequently the bottles I've been grabbing. But there's just something about knowing that I can run and grab a bottle just about whenever that makes it feel a bit unnecessary to pick up each and every release like I once did. That said, these are still very good bottles, and this one was no different.

The nose was full of those traditional caramel and vanilla notes. But, it wasn't super sweet. It had a bit of dark chocolate to add some richness but also a touch of bitterness. It also had some walnut to it for some earthiness. There was something about it, though, that it took me a few sniffs to get. Eventually I got there, though, and I wrote down, "molasses cookies."  It's been a while, to be certain, since I've had a molasses cookie, but that is what I was getting here.  

When I took my first sip, I immediately got something I hadn't gotten from the nose.  there was a definite cherry note, which was paired with a cinnamon note that was a bit like the Fireball candies we used to break our teeth on as kids.  There was also a light oak note up front as well that I didn't necessarily get from the nose.

Towards the middle, though, I did get a certain shortbread note, which eventually transformed into that molasses cookie note I got on the nose.  It was sweet, but not too sweet.  The chocolate also came through in the middle as well, but again never leaned too sweet.

Interestingly, the finish seemed to go a bit of a different direction. The chocolate remained, but I also got a peanut note along with the cinnamon. There was also a light oak on the finish as well. It was almost as though it came full circle back to those notes that I got when I took that first sniff.

These are always very good and this Batch B523 was no exception. I certainly got notes I don't recall getting in other releases, but it was still well-balanced and checked all those boxes I look for in a good, sturdy bourbon.

Grade: B+

Parker's Heritage Collection Double Barreled Blend Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2022

VITALS:

- $200

- 132.2 Proof

- 13 & 14 years

- Kentucky

The Parker's Heritage releases are, for good reason, some of the more highly sought after releases. However, it seems that interest may have waned just a bit, perhaps due to the ever increasing prices of these bottles, the already existing frustration over their being hard to find, and the release of a few less-than-stellar bottlings in recent years.

And yet, when I was offered this bottle, I just couldn't help myself, despite the steep price tag.  While it is a blend, at least it's a blend of bourbon (as opposed to American single malt like I'm seeing sit on shelves everywhere theses days) and at least it provides the percentage and age of the blends. Effectively, this is a cask strength 13 year bourbon, although 33% of the blend is a 15 year bourbon. Only the 13 year was double-barreled, apparently. 

The nose was rich and deep in aroma, with healthy notes of dark cherry and oak. It had a rich sweetness to it, like a dark toffee, along with some dark chocolate. It also had a bit of an anise note to add to the richness and to keep it a bit interesting as well.  I had a really hard time taking my nose way from my glass, as I would just sit there sniffing it over and over before each sip.

The flavor hit all the marks of what I love in a bourbon, starting with one of my favorite words when writing these reviews -- "rich."  This had an incredible depth and richness to it that I just couldn't get enough of.  It started with deep dark fruit notes like cherry and blackberry, which was accompanied by a great amaretto note that kept anything from ever getting too sweet.

There was a healthy amount of oak to it, betraying its age but never leaning too bitter. That is perhaps due to the healthy amount of dark toffee that countered any bitterness, but still never leaned too sweet. There was also a rich (told you I like that word) dark chocolate that seemed to act as a sort of undercurrent to everything else going on.

The finish provided a touch of cinnamon spice, but that really gave way to the toffee, dark chocolate and cherry notes that I was getting on the front end. And, the best part was that these notes seemed to never subside and lingered in my mouth long after each sip, allowing me to really savor every single pour.

This was one of those bottles that I just hesitated to finish off the last few pours, because I just didn't want it to be gone.  I don't know that this release got a ton of love, but it was definitely one of my favorite pours in recent years.

Grade: A+

Elijah Craig Toasted Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:
- $50

- 94 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

I feel like I'm usually up on new releases, particularly mainstay products from the big producers. Yet, this one caught me by surprise. In fact, when I was in the store and saw it on the shelf, I initially walked right past it thinking it was the toasted bourbon. I did a double take, as something was a bit different about the label, and I saw it was a toasted rye.

While I'm not big on toasted bourbon, I've has some positive past experiences with toasted ryes, so I didn't even bother with researching it.  I had no clue if this was a special or limited release or something that was going to be around consistently. I just put it in my basket without a second thought, and cracked the bottle as soon as I got home, just to satisfy my curiosity.

The nose provided a great mix of sweet and spice. I got a bit of a sweet malty note, as well as a distinct cinnamon note. But it didn't come across as spicy, but rather sweet cinnamon, kind of like the inside of one of those Fireball hard candies I remember from grade school.  There was also a bit of sweet spearmint to it as well.

The flavor brought that same balance of sweet and spice as well, and perhaps leaned a bit more to the sweeter side.  There was an undertone of shortbread cookie that I absolutely loved. Layered on top of that was a sweet honey note as well as a woody, earthy pine note. Yet it never came across as bitter.

There were malty notes, but sweet. It reminded me a bit of Honey Nut Cheerios. But along with that was a vanilla note, adding a sort of frosting quality. There was also a bright minty note, but, again, always leaned sweet.  It was that sweet mint and vanilla that really seemed to stand out on the finish, and I think that's what I liked most about this bottle.

I mention "sweet" a lot, but it was never overly sweet. It was just on the sweeter end of the rye spectrum. But it was delicious, and I was very impressed by what is otherwise now a mainstay on the shelf. I was surprised as the grade that I couldn't help but give this, but I liked it too much to give it anything lower.

Grade: A-

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Batch B522

VITALS:

- $70

- 121 Proof

- 12 Years

- Batch B522

- Kentucky

I feel like it's been a while since I've written a review on Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.  It's not as though I stopped buying them (though I have held off on buying the last few releases).  Rather, it's just that I have a backlog, with three more to go after this one. And, it was almost paralysis by analysis.  I wouldn't know which to open, so I'd just open something else. 

But, I've been making it a point to have at least one open to enjoy. It is still, after all, 12 year cask strength Heaven Hill bourbon, which means, quite frankly, it's really good. That's pretty much regardless of batch. Some just turn out to be better than others. But, when I finally landed on that plan of keeping at least one open, I've been glad that I did, because it's an easy go to when I'm just in the mood for a good bourbon.

The nose on this one was absolutely delicious, which is good considering how quickly it filled up the room when I popped the cork. I was immediately hit with rich and sweet vanilla and toffee notes. There was also a touch of anise to keep it interesting (and just a touch, which is fine by me as I'm not the biggest fan of those anise notes). 

Interestingly, it wasn't the sweetness that hit right away, but rather the oak. I've found I don't typically get a lot of oak on the Barrel Proofs, but on this one it hit me right away. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't over-oaked or anything, just noticeable right up front is all. 

The rich dessert notes came through immediately after, though.  I was getting hazelnut and dark chocolate, as well as rich vanilla bean notes. I also got the toffee, but it wasn't nearly as pronounced as it was on the nose. It provided a great balance of rich and sweet and oak that kind of hit all the hallmarks of what I love in a well-aged bourbon.

The finish allowed the dark chocolate notes to linger most noticeably. The oak faded a bit, and the toffee seemed to find its way forward a bit more on the finish. There wasn't much spice to this one, but I didn't even miss it. Everything else was pretty great!

Grade: A-

Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $300

- 118.2 Proof

- 17 Years

- Kentucky

I'm not really sure where to start with this post. This is a "big" bottle. This is one of those bottles that's big in proof, big in age, pretty much guaranteed to be big in flavor, and certainly big in price. In fact, I was offered a chance to buy this bottle, and that price tag really had me on the fence, despite how much I knew I wanted this bottle. In the end, my heart overruled my wallet.

But, I have no regrets.  This is a fun bottle.  It was fun to drink, and, more importantly, it was fun to share. This was one of those bottles that people immediately gravitated to at tastings, and everyone wanted to try. I've got some pretty good memories associated with this bottle and enjoying some really good times with good friends, even down to the last two pours which I saved to make sure I shared with good company.

The nose seemed to lead with an oaky note, that had me worried at first that the age had gotten the best of this bourbon. But, that was quickly followed by a delicious smelling milk chocolate note as well as some cinnamon. It combined to create this sort of chocolate hazelnut note, not unlike Nutella. Rich caramel and vanilla seemed to be floating around in the background, and just from the nose you could tell this was going to be something delicious.

My first impression from my first sip was that this was kind of like a barrel strength Elijah Craig 18, which happens to be one of my favorite pours. So, this was right up my alley from the start. Similar to the nose, the oak notes hit right up front. But they quickly gave way to all the other flavors happening within this bottle.

I got a distinct dark cherry note, like Amarena cherries, along with a rich, dark caramel note. Together it was rich, sweet and decadent.  The cinnamon note was there as well, to give it just a bit of spice and, along with the oak notes, keep it from ever getting too sweet.

It had heat to it, but the flavor was so good I didn't seem to be bothered by it one bit. That rich caramel seemed to coat my mouth, only to give way to a delicious and equally rich vanilla bean note. I did get a chocolate note as well, but it wasn't the milk chocolate from the nose, but more of a dark chocolate flavor but without the dark chocolate bitterness. 

The great, viscous texture provided for a crazy long finish that was all toffee and dark cherry. It had me smacking my tongue to the roof of my mouth to the point that it drove my wife crazy. But I couldn't help but just sit there enjoying it. 

The price on this bottle is excessive, certainly. But this was an absolutely phenomenal bourbon, one I was not only happy I got to try, but one which I'm happy I got to share. 

Grade: A+

Bernheim Original Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey - Batch A223

VITALS:

- $70

- 118.8 Proof

- 7-9 Years

- Batch A223

- Kentucky

I supposed it was only a matter of time until this became a think. After all, Heaven Hill started releasing Elijah Craig Barrel Proof tri-annually.  It then started releasing Larceny Barrel Proof, which has seen its own share of success. So it only makes sense that they'd release Bernheim Original, one the few and certainly the most popular wheat whiskey out there.

Here, though, I don't know that people were beating their drums demanding a barrel proof version of Bernheim Wheat Whiskey. I just don't believe it's that popular of a product or has that much of a following. That said, the initial feedback I was getting from others upon its release was that it was very good. So, despite not having some deep yearning for it, I decided to give this bottle a go.

On the nose, right away I found it to be very cinnamon forward, which I wasn't necessarily expecting. There was also a distinct pastry note to it, kind of like a cinnamon roll, but not nearly as sweet.  There was a slight spiciness to it, perhaps a black pepper spice. Later on I noticed a vanilla bean note that I really enjoyed.

The flavor wasn't quite in line with the aroma. Right up front I got a distinct bread note, like a sweet wheat bread. More than that, it reminded me of toast. It had that toasted bread flavor, which made the immediately following cinnamon and brown sugar notes all that more welcome. It was like a breakfast snack.

Admittedly, at first I wasn't a huge fan of this. I didn't want to drink bread, even if it did remind me a bit of cinnamon toast.  But, this bottle really grew on me. I think one reason that it is is that it developed a spiciness that I really loved. It was a mix of sweet and hot cinnamon, black pepper and even a bit of that sharp cayenne spice. It added a level that seemed to make this whiskey so much more interesting.

That spice and the sweetness both lingered for quite a while on the finish as well, providing that nice counterbalance. A bit of the brown sugar note stuck around as well, while the grainy bread note seemed to fade away, which was alright with me.

Like I said, at first I was unimpressed, but by about half-way through the bottle I found myself actively wanting a pour whenever I'd go to make my choice of drink for the evening. Whether or not I buy future batches remains to be seen, but I'll certainly give it a thought.

Grade: B

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Batch No. C922

VITALS:

- $65

- 124.8 Proof

- 12 Years

- Batch No. C922

- Kentucky

I have been lucky enough to get my hands on most releases of a couple of the more popular barrel strength releases -- Stagg (formerly Stagg, Jr.) and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.  What's amazing about these two whiskies is that for the most part they've remained fairly reasonable in pricing. They are also both semi-annual releases, so if I don't get a particular one, I know another one will be coming out shortly.

However, I've managed to get a sort of backlog on both.  So, I've been making it a point to start working my way through my sub-collection of ECBP bottles.  It's kind of funny. I just haven't felt compelled to open them sooner, because I already know they're going to be good. It's a bit axiomatic, I guess.  I know it's good, so I drink other stuff instead. But, I'm making it a point to open them and try the different batches, and this one only confirmed what I already knew.

The nose on this was full of sweet cinnamon and oak. It had a nice balance of sweet, dessert-like notes, an earthy and slightly bitter oak note and a cinnamon spice. In fact, it kind of had a barbecue rub type of aroma to it, but one that is heavy on the brown sugar. It even had a little bit of a chili powder note to it. It smelled great, even if a bit unlike most Elijah Craig's I've had.

The flavor really carried that barbecue note forward. I certainly got some cinnamon and oak, though neither were super strong or overwhelming. What really came forward, though, was the brown sugar. It wasn't that brown sugar note that I get off of some Canadian whiskies, though. Instead it was more of a brown butter note. It was sweet and lightly smokey and had a bit of unctuousness to it (I've clearly been watching too much Food Network).

Even the finish had that barbecue feeling to it. The oily texture of the bourbon coated my mouth with that light smokiness and brown butter. But, it also had a bit of a paprika note to really round out that barbecue flavor. I also got cooked cherries on the finish, with a lingering rich sweetness that seemed to perfectly balance out everything else and bring this from a spicy bourbon to a very well-balanced one.

My final thought? Guess what . . . it's good! No surprise there! Perhaps I've had others that have been better (some have been absolutely great), but this one was absolutely delicious, and I kind of appreciated that it was a bit off-profile.

Grade: B+

Elijah Craig Small Batch Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Batch A120

VITALS:

- $60

- 136.6 Proof

- 12 Years

- Batch No. A120

- Kentucky

I've said it before, and, quite frankly, it doesn't need to be said, but Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is consistently some of the best whiskey out there. And, given that it's a tri-annual release, while it is an allocated product, it is far from impossible to find. Plus, the price hasn't jumped (yet) like we've seen with so many other products.

In fact, I've managed to collect a bit of a backlog of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bottles between the normal releases and store picks. And the other day, I questioned why I wouldn't have at least one of them open at any given moment. So, rather than ponder the question, I decided to just go ahead and open one, starting with the oldest one on my shelf, this Batch A120 from January 2020.

As soon as I popped that cork I was hit with aromas of oak and cinnamon, along with a rich, dark sweetness that was like a molasses note. In addition to the cinnamon spice, there was also a black pepper spice to add some kick, along with some sweet vanilla notes. This was a great combination!

When I took my first sip, right away I was hit with a healthy dose of sweet, dark caramel, calling back to that molasses note from the nose. It also had a bit of that black pepper bite immediately on the tip of my tongue. There was a layer of richness as well, kind of like a dark chocolate note, keeping it somewhat sweet but nowhere near a dessert whiskey.

There was also something earthy or nutty, kind of like a mix between peanut and walnut.  There was also a bit of a tea leaf note that was interesting and added a bit of tanginess to the profile. These flavors all worked great with the caramel, black pepper and dark chocolate that persisted throughout.

The finish reminded me very much of tiramisu.  The tea note kind of took on more of a coffee liqueur note, and was accompanied by notes of vanilla and dark chocolate. That black pepper spice also found its way into the finish, adding some spice and giving me a reason to quickly go back for that next sip!

This certainly reminded me of just how well these releases are done, and, quite frankly, I think as soon as I'm done writing this I'll go pop open the next one!

Grade: A

Elijah Craig Binny's 11 Year Barrel Proof Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $70
- 123.8 Proof
- 11 Years
- Barrel No. 5733155
- Kentucky

It's been a while since I've finished one of these off. For a while there Binny's was getting a quite a few of these in, and I was grabbing pretty much every one I could get my hands on. So far it's been my experience that age ain't nothing but a number, and whether these have been 8 years old or 11 years old, they've all been excellent and on par with the normal barrel proof releases.

This, however, was the last of the store picks that I had grabbed, though I have plenty of the regular Barrel Proof releases in reserve, so I'm good. But it is still fun to pick up these store picks that might have something different or unique in their flavor profile, something that made them stand out to the taster.

The nose told me that this was going to be just what I've come to want, and even expect, from Elijah Craig Barrel Proofs. It was cherry and oak forward, though it didn't have the bitterness that sometimes comes with the oak note. It also gave notes of cinnamon and brown sugar, and even had a bit of a graham cracker note. It smelled like a rich baked dessert and I couldn't wait to dive in.

The cherry note didn't hit me up front as I had expected. Rather, it was the cinnamon that really came through, along with the oak note. Again, the bitterness from the oak didn't come through, luckily. Just that oak flavor, making this seem like a much older bourbon than it was.

It did have that brown sugar sweetness that I was getting on the nose, as well as a bit of a pie crust note. Between all of these flavors, I definitely got a bit of a pecan pie vibe, and I absolutely dug it.

On the finish the cherry came through, but it wasn't that brighter, fresh cherry note I got on the nose. Rather, it was more of a cooked cherry note, with added spices like cinnamon and clove. It had the brown sugar sweetness as well. While it didn't seem to last as long as I would have liked, the flavor punch on the finish was my favorite part about this bourbon. Here's to grabbing more of these as they come in!!

Grade: A- 

Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Batch No. C920

VITALS:

- $55

- 122.4 Proof

- NAS

- Batch No. C920

- Kentucky

Although it's a wheated bourbon that packs a punch, for whatever reason Larceny Barrel Proof just doesn't get the love that other wheated bourbons from other distilleries of a bovine nature. It doesn't seem to even get the amount of love that Elijah Craig Barrel Proof gets, though that I understand a bit more. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a well established brand, and, of course, it comes with a 12 year age statement.

Admittedly, I haven't even found myself reaching for these bottles when I've seen them. I know I've passed on them a couple times in the last six months or so, but that was due in part to the fact that I had two sitting on my shelves at home that I had yet to finish. It might be time to start picking these off the shelves, though.

The nose was like being in a bakery. I got a ton of chocolate to start, along with some cinnamon and pastry notes. It wasn't quite like cinnamon roles, though. That pastry note was more like a pie crust or even a shortbread note. I also got a rich sweetness, almost like molasses.

I was surprised at how little burn I got off this bourbon given its proof. I was also surprised, given how bold the nose was, at how soft the flavor was. Right up front I got sweet caramel, like Werther's, and brown sugar cookie. Kind of like a chocolate chip cookie but without the chocolate chips. It also had a bit of a graham cracker note. But, the caramel was certainly dominant.

It didn't lean entirely sweet, though. There was a light cinnamon spice as well as a bit of a black pepper spice to it as well. I also got a sweet oak note, adding wood flavor but not the bitterness. There was even a bit of a tangy amaretto note to this that seemed to show up in later pours.

The finish started primarily with the caramel, but as that faded, that amaretto note and the black pepper were what seemed to stick around. It was like a rich, liqueur-based dessert but with the added pepper spice that lingered at the back of my throat. 

This was a really good bottle, and I'm an idiot for passing on these when I've seen them. That won't be happening any more.

Grade: A-

Elijah Craig Binny's Private Select Single Barrel Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $70

- 130.2 Proof

- 8 Years

- Barrel No. 6361225

- Kentucky

These barrel strength private barrel seemed to hit the market somewhat hard and fast when the program first started, it seemed that all of them were below the standard 12 years that you get from the tri-annual release of the regular Elijah Craig Barrel Strength. In fact, most seem to be 9 or 10 years, with a 11 here and there.

However, this one came out at only 8 years old. Typically, where there are older offerings available, as was the case with this release, it's going to be a no-brainer to get the older bottling. However, in this case, I had already managed to grab two other Elijah Craig Barrel Proof picks, at 10 years and 11 years respectively. So, I was intrigued as to what it was about the younger 8-year pick that the "pickers" loved about this barrel enough to want to bottle it. While it's four years younger than the regular stuff, it's still in that sweet spot of bourbon age, even if towards the lower end.

The nose was everything I've come to expect from Elijah Craig. It was full of cinnamon and brown sugar sweetness. However, it also had a woody, earthy tone. I got a decent amount of pecan, as well as a light oak note. However, neither flavor seemed to bring in the type of bitterness that is so often associated with them. Rather it was more of a candied pecan note, with hints of oak on top.

The flavor was very much in-step with the aroma, as it led with oak and cinnamon. Here, though, the oak was a bit more prominent, which I wouldn't have expected out of a younger bottling. It actually tasted more aged than it was.  There was also a distinct layer of unsweetened vanilla right up front, which stayed through the back end.

The finish was interesting, as it made me think of an Old Fashioned, but without the sweetness. I definitely got an orange bitters type note, almost like orange peel but not as bright. There was also a walnut liqueur note, almost as if it were an Old Fashioned with an interesting twist, though again lacking that sweetness. The brown sugar I got on the nose seemed to disappear on the flavor and on the finish.

I happen to enjoy an oak-forward bourbon, so long as it's not overdone. In fact, that's what I love about Elijah Craig 18 Year, is it embraces that profile without overdoing it. This isn't quite as oak-forward as Elijah Craig 18 Year, but it certainly had an oak-forward profile that was tasty rather than offensive. It may have been a bit lacking in complexity, but it was still bold in flavor and gave me everything I wanted.  It certainly held up with any of the older barrels!

Grade: B+

Evan Williams Master Blend Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Gift Shop Exclusive)

VITALS:

- $60

- 90 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

Whenever I go to Kentucky, I always feel like I have to come back with something special, something that I can't get in Illinois. Of course, it's always easy to go the route of a local store pick, but it's the stuff that's only available at the distillery gift shops that I really want to try to bring home. Luckily for me, during my last trip to Louisville I had a brief moment to swing through the Evan Williams Experience, and I was able to snag a couple bottles of this Master Blend (I passed on the over-priced Evan Williams 12-year).

This is a blend of five different Evan Williams products, including their Signature Black, the Bottled-in-Bond, 1783 and Evan Williams Single Barrel, as well as some of the 23-year-old! Of course, how much of the 23-year-old is in this blend is not disclosed, but I think it's a fair assumption that it represents a very small percentage of the blend. Nonetheless, this came highly recommended to me, and I was eager to give it a try.

The nose came across as sweet but earthy. My first note was sweet tea. It had that honey sweetness to it, but also a light bitter and dry note from the tea leaves. I also got some sweet oak as well. In that sense the nose was interesting in that it had a balance of bitter and sweet, though it did lean a bit more to the sweeter end, so perhaps "balance" wasn't the correct word.

Despite the lower proof, there was a certain unexpected richness to this whiskey. It still had that sweet wood note I got off the nose, but it was more of a mix of dark molasses and rich oak notes. The combination worked fairly well.  

There was also a bright and bitter note, kind of like an orange peel note, that I really enjoyed. It seemed to cut through the rich notes while adding further depth of flavor. It also had the tea leaf note from the nose, but it didn't come across so much as a sweet tea. Rather, the unsweetened tea note seemed to stand on its own.

On the finish I got a nice cinnamon spice that seemed to almost appear out of nowhere.  That was a pleasant surprise. That and the orange peel note seemed to stick around the longest, while the oak and molasses notes seemed to fade away a bit. The finish wasn't very long and it didn't exactly coat my mouth, but that's to be expected given the proof.

If you're in Kentucky and are looking to bring something back that you can't get in your home state, this is a good grab. At $60, it's far more accessible than many other gift shop exclusives (though, for Evan Williams products, a bit on the higher end), and it was quite tasty.

Grade: B

Elijah Craig Binny's Private Select 10 Year Single Barrel Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $70

- 127.5 Proof

- 10 Years

- Barrel No. 6088347

- Kentucky

There's no doubt that I, along with pretty much any other bourbon fan I know, love Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.  While I can't keep up with every release, I tend not to hesitate to grab one whenever I get the chance.  It has that nice mix of age and proof, with the quality backing of Heaven Hill making the whiskey. And the price has always remained relatively reasonable.

When Binny's started getting in single barrel picks of the Barrel Proof, I was all over them. In fact, I ended up getting three different picks, all different ages and proofs. I've had a blast comparing them all side-by-side, and this bottle just happens to be the one that I finished first.  Whether it's my favorite of the three, the jury is still out. I've really liked them all. This one is certainly in the running, though.

The nose was rich and sweet and tangy all at once. I immediately got toffee and orange peel. There was a light smoky or char note, but it remained sweet, like burnt sugar. It also had this spicy but chocolatey note, kind of like a Mexican dark chocolate. 

As to flavor, much like the nose, this was very toffee forward. It was richer than a basic caramel note, and not quite as sweet, though it was still plenty sweet.  It also had a delicious vanilla bean note that kind of underscored everything else. The chocolate note from the nose also came through, though it was sweeter, more like milk chocolate, and it didn't seem to be accompanied by any spice. It did, however, work incredibly well with all the other flavors that were happening.

The heat was certainly present, which is not surprising given the proof. But, it seemed to give way to the other flavors relatively quickly. That said, the spice that may have otherwise been masked then came to the front. I got a distinct black pepper spice that mixed with a root beer note. That combination lingered in the back of my throat long after each sip, and it gave that great sweet and spicy mix.

The toffee note persisted through to the finish as well, though at times it seemed more like a butterscotch. While the spice lingered at the back of my throat, the sweetness lingered on my lips, giving it a nice sweet, lip-smacking finish as well.

Priced about $10 higher than the regular barrel proof releases, though a couple years younger, this was a great buy. The whiskey is fantastic, the pricing is still fair, and the differences from barrel to barrel are fun. I can't wait to keep scooping these up as I find them!

Grade: A

Elijah Craig Small Batch Tuscan/Hammar's Private Selection Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $32

- 94 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel NO. 6194298

- Kentucky

On some of these store picks I feel like a broken record when I say, I buy them when I find them. That's the case for Buffalo Trace picks, Eagle Rare picks and, of course, Elijah Craig picks, among others. For the price I have gotten a very good whiskey every single time. Despite all the changes in the industry, new distilleries, new products, new gimmicks, etc, this remains a solid buy.

This particular bottle was selected by the group that owns an unassuming but solid liquor store near me called Hammar's Liquors. It is absolutely one of the best places around to get the fresh drops of craft beer, and while their whiskey selection isn't what you'll find at Binny's, it's still pretty decent and from time to time you can find some of the more hard to find bottles there. And, of course, they do get store picks such as this bottle from time to time.

The nose was great, even if it didn't stray to far from what I typically expect out of Elijah Craig. I got a sweet but slightly toasted note, like a toasted (but not charred) marshmallow. It also had a sweet cinnamon spice to it, as well as a sweeter chocolate note, somewhere between milk chocolate and dark chocolate. 

The flavor did, however, give me a little bit of variation from standard Elijah Craig. Right up front I got the sweet cinnamon, but that was paired with a sweet and rich and tangy amaretto note that I was a big fan of.  Those flavors were also met with a dark chocolate note that gave this a sort of rich and lightly sweet dessert flavor.

There was also something crackery. It was still sweet, perhaps like a graham cracker, but with a bit more of a grain forward note, if that makes any sense. While the more savory, grain-forward part of it seemed to stick out a bit, it still played really well with the marshmallow, chocolate and cinnamon.

The finish was slightly spicy, but here it strayed from the cinnamon to more of a chili pepper note. That, paired with the chocolate note on the finish reminded me a bit of Mexican chocolate. There was also a sort of caramel pastry note, kind of like a caramel iced donut but with the sugar levels tempered way down. 

This was a whiskey that wanted to be a sweeter, dessert-like whiskey, but just didn't have the needed sugar to get there. In that sense I kind of liked it, and I found I really enjoyed this in an Old Fashioned, even if I typically like to use a little higher proof whiskey.

Grade: B

Elijah Craig Small Batch Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Batch No. A119

VITALS:

- $60

- 135.2 Proof

- 12 Years

- Batch No. A119

- Kentucky

This is one of those bottles I pick up whenever I see it on a shelf at the right price. I don't go out of my way to track them down as they're released, but I certainly don't pass them by whenever I do see one out on display or on the shelf. Of course sometimes I do pass them up due to price. And I haven't run across every release.

I have, however, managed to get the "A" batch, the first release of the year, for the past three years. Having developed that sort of backlog of three bottles, a couple weeks ago I finally decided it was time to open one of them up. And so, I started with the oldest one first. The Elijah Craig Barrel Proof certainly isn't super rare, but it's rare enough that I generally don't pop them open just to sit on my couch at home by myself. This one was somewhat of an exception to that rule.

The nose came across as a bit spicy. And I'm not just talking about the alcohol burn, which certainly was there as well. Rather, I got a lot of cinnamon, the spicy kind, mixed with chocolate. It reminded me of Mexican chocolate, with that chili or cayenne spice, but not the pepper flavor. I also got notes of dark cherry as well as a light note of cloves on the nose.

The flavor didn't necessarily match the nose, which I was okay with.  Up front it was all caramel. In fact, when it first hit my tongue I was thinking it might be a "caramel bomb" as the kids on the internet might say. But, shortly behind that I got waves of other, rich and sort of sweet flavors, including a great, rich amaretto note, followed by that same dark cherry I got on the nose. 

It did have a nice, warm cinnamon spice to it, but not the heat I was getting on the nose. It didn't accompany a chocolate note either. Rather, it was more paired with the caramel note on the front end, as well as a pecan pie filling type of note.

The finish brought yet another wave of flavor. The nice viscosity of the bourbon left a sweet coating of butterscotch in my mouth and at the back of my throat. But, there was also a distinct nutmeg flavor that seemed to stick around, along with just some remnants of that cinnamon heat.

This wasn't the best Elijah Craig Barrel Proof I've had, and yet I can still say it was delicious and absolutely worth grabbing off the shelf. I may have to crack into the next one sooner than later!

Grade: B+

Elijah Craig 18-Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2020

VITALS:

- $150

- 90 Proof

- 18 Years

- Barrel No. 5244

- Kentucky

I've said it before, but I love Elijah Craig 18. There's no question that due to the age, it imparts a certain amount of oakiness into the bourbon. It can be a bit try, sometimes a bit tannic and even a little bitter. But, what I've always loved about Elijah Craig 18 is the way it handles that oak, making it a part of the flavor profile but never allowing it to take over. It's for this reason that this has become one of my favorite whiskeys.

Sometimes I'm in the mood for something sweet, which often leads me to a bourbon, or even a wheated bourbon in particular. Sometimes I'm in the mood for spice, leading me to rye, or smokiness, leading me to my Scotch collection. And, sometimes I'm in the mood for a little bit of oak. That's why I always have at least one bottle of Elijah Craig 18 on hand, to scratch that itch whenever it appears. I don't make my way through these bottles quickly, as I don't get that itch that often, but I certainly do find my way to the bottom of the bottle eventually.

On the nose, I did notice those oak tannins right away. However, it came across sweeter than expected, sweeter than previous bottles I've had. It had a sort of maple syrup and graham cracker quality to it. It reminded me of pecan pie, but toned down on the sweetness.  It also had a bit of cinnamon spice to it, and all of this played really well with the tannins, which really provided more of that pecan nuttiness to the pecan pie than anything.

While the oak was immediately noticeable on the nose, that wasn't necessarily the case on the palate.  In fact, the first thing I noticed when I took my first sip was a delicious milk chocolate note. That was accompanied by a light, nutty bitterness on the tip of my tongue, but that seemed to go away fairly quickly.

In addition to that creamy milk chocolate note, some of the more traditional bourbon notes that I love made their way forward. I got a smooth and rich toffee note, certainly darker and richer than caramel, but with that same softness. It also had a light burnt sugar note that I really enjoyed. 

I even got some fruit notes on the flavor as well, and while I couldn't immediately put my thumb on it, I think I ultimately concluded it was a sort of a candied cherry note that worked perfectly with everything else. In fact, that candied cherry note stuck around on the finish as well, along with some spicy cinnamon and a healthy amount of that milk chocolate that I was getting up front. It was only on the finish that the tannins really re-emerged, but that bitterness seemed to complement everything else.

This is a completely biased review (as they all are, which is why whiskey reviews are stupid). I knew going in I was going to love this, because I've loved every bottle of Elijah Craig 18 I've ever had. Sure, the price is steep, but I'm still grabbing these every chance I get.

Grade: A

Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $22

- 90 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

It's amazing to me whenever I consider how long I've been drinking whiskey, and in particular bourbon, and the fact that I make it a point to constantly try new bottles if only for the sake of content, and to realize just how many "standards" I still haven't tried. I even keep a running list in my phone of whiskeys that I simply need to get around to trying at some point, and I'm terrible at actually checking those bottles off.

This is one of those bottles, and apparently it took not only a redesign of the bottle to finally make me pick one up, but also a sale at Jewel. With so many good options with higher proofs, stated ages, fancy finishes, etc., I just don't find myself grabbing that $20, 90 proof bourbon off the bottom shelves. And I'm very self-aware that I'm doing myself a disservice, and this bottle definitely reminded me of that.

The nose had those traditional bourbon notes that we all know and love, with caramel and vanilla taking the forefront. It also had a bit of char to it, though, giving it a bit of a burnt sugar note. It didn't go entirely sweet, though, as there was also something earthy to it, like leather. 

What I enjoyed about the flavor is what I enjoyed about the nose. This is just a good, solid, traditional bourbon. While it did have a watery texture, that didn't seem to limit the flavor. I got the rich caramel notes, along with a fairly decent amount of spice. It had a peppery and cinnamon spice that seemed to balance out the sweetness perfectly.

On top of that, there was a nutty or woody quality that I really enjoyed. It was on the slightly sweeter end, perhaps like walnut. From time to time I also got a maraschino cherry note that I absolutely loved, and I wished was a bit more consistent. The finish didn't last very long, but nonetheless carried with it that caramel and black pepper spice, and even though short-lived, it was bold and delicious and did have me going back for more.

Overall, this is a winner for a bottom shelf whiskey. If someone asked me to give them a classic example of what Kentucky bourbon is, this would be a great option. I enjoyed it neat, and it stood up fairly well in an old fashioned. 

Grade: B

Old Fitzgerald 15 Year Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $160

- 100 Proof

- 15 Years

- Kentucky

I think these may be the fanciest bottles on the market. They're certainly up there. And while my brain tells me that it's just fancy packaging that doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of the whiskey inside, nonetheless when I walk up to the counter and see this bottle on the shelf behind the clerk, I'm still immediately drawn to it. So that fancy packaging apparently works.

That said, I also felt very comfortable that the whiskey inside was going to be very good as well. Not only has each release received great reviews generally, but the ones I've actually tried I've really enjoyed, particularly when I've had the pleasure of trying some of the older bottlings. So, I went ahead and grabbed this one, the oldest of the releases, despite the very hefty price tag it carried.

The nose was light and soft--I'd almost describe it as fluffy. It was full of soft vanilla and smooth milk chocolate aromas.  There was a bit of cherry licorice, which combined with the vanilla and chocolate, certainly had this smelling like a sweeter bourbon. That said, I also got some light oak and even some peanut flavor to add a touch of earthiness. It was, without question, though, on the sweeter end.

The flavor was much the same, though the chocolate really came through. This is what the cool kids would call a "chocolate bomb." That soft, creamy milk chocolate note was really at the forefront whether on the front end or the finish, whether on the first pour or the last.

There was certainly some vanilla as well, along with some cherry notes. But, the cherry came across more as real cherry than the fake cherry licorice note, which certainly was an improvement in my book. At times I got sweet notes of white chocolate as well to really help round this out as a dessert whiskey.

Most notable with this bourbon, though, was the texture. It had such a soft and silky texture that it seemed to make those other notes that much more enjoyable. Giving that silky feel to the notes of chocolate and vanilla really made those flavors seem more decadent. It also helped those flavors stick around for a while, as it left an almost buttery coat of flavor behind.

Other notes came through, including a light bready or yeast-like note that was kind of lingering in the background, and on later pours I was noticing some nice amaretto and anise notes that were light and subtle but certainly worked with everything else going on here.

As I'm making notes while working through any given bottle, I have a grade I plan on giving that bottle in the back of my mind, and it's not always static. In this case, with every pour I seemed to like this bourbon more and more, and by the last few pours, in my mind this was an absolutely killer bottle. This is well-worth seeking out a pour, in my estimation.

Grade: A

Elijah Craig Small Batch Single Barrel Hand Selected for Illinois Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $30

- 94 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel No. 6191649

- Warehouse: X

- Kentucky

Without fail, whenever I'm at a grocery store, any grocery store, I make it a point to do a quick scan of their whiskey selection. I make trips to my local Jewel at least twice a week if not more, and pretty much every time the whiskey selection remains the same. However, one time I notice that the Buffalo Trace that was there had a gold sticker on it, and sure enough it was a Jewel-Osco single barrel pick. And so, I learned, you just never know.

This time, I was doing a quick run to Meier for a few things, and as I made my obligatory turn down the liquor aisle, I saw a display of Elijah Craig. Nothing out of the ordinary, for sure. But, when I looked at the bottles on each shelf of this display, about half of them were labeled "Single Barrel Selected By: Hand Selected for Illinois."  Now, I have no idea what this actually means. It doesn't say it was selected by Meier. Perhaps by the distributor?  I really have no idea, and admittedly, I have done no research on the issue whatsoever. My research consisted entirely of product testing.

The nose had all the traditional characteristics you'd expect to find from Elijah Craig. I got toffee and a bit of vanilla. It had just a light touch of anise spice and even some dark chocolate notes. It also had some woody notes, kind of a light blend of walnut, oak and char. While it all blended well, the nose was fairly thin and somewhat hard to detect.

The flavor was perhaps even more traditional than the nose. I got heavy doses of caramel and vanilla. In fact, it was almost hard to pull other flavors out. While it was on the sweeter side, it was a bit more subdued than it might initially sound. 

That sweetness, luckily, was balanced by some of those other flavors that, while not prominent, were there enough to do the trick. I got a bit of orange peel that added not only some bright citrus notes to the whiskey, but also a touch of bitterness to help counter some of that sweetness.  I also got a touch of the oak and char that I got on the nose to again add another light component to sort of counter the sweetness.

The finish was very much like an old fashioned for me. It had the caramel notes of the bourbon along with the orange bitters. In this way the sweetness of the bourbon really worked. There was that light touch of char on the finish as well, adding another, almost light smoky layer to the finish.

All in all, this was a decent bottle, and I don't know that it's significantly better than standard Elijah Craig.  That said, it was fun to find the random single barrel selection in a place where I wouldn't have expected it, and I'll continue to make those obligatory detours down the liquor aisle of my grocery store, just in case . . .

Grade: B