Heaven Hill brand Elijah Craig has announced a new expression called Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Max Stefka, Elijah Craig Senior Brand Manager says:
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel pays homage to our namesake’s pioneering spirit as the first to char oak barrels through thoughtful innovation in the barrel-aging process. It was a pleasure partnering with Independent Stave Company to create a custom toast profile and char level designed to best complement fully matured Elijah Craig. Twice barreled for nuanced flavor, Toasted Barrel showcases a Straight Bourbon process unique in the marketplace.
The toasted barrel starts with 8-12 year Elijah Craig Small Batch. The bourbon is then re-entered into a second, custom toasted 18-month air dried new oak barrel at full barrel proof. The pictures below show the char levels on the barrels with the first picture being the 8-12 year (level 3 char ~ 45 seconds) and the second using a char at a lower temperature that darkens the oak but leaves the surface intact. This is to add depth and complexity to the final product.
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel is bottled at 94 proof (47% alcohol) and will be released in limited quantities nationwide. No MSRP was provided by Heaven Hill, but there is a product titled Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel showing up on the State website for $49.99.
Tasting notes:
Nose: Lots of toasted oak with rich caramel
Taste: Big, rich, and complex. Delightful spice and pepper notes fade to milk chocolate with just a hint of smoke
Finish: Complexity continues. Nicely warming, with lingering chocolate and baking spices
My Take
If this new release is the same product that is showing on the OHLQ site for $49.99, this is an absolute steal. That price would be outstanding for any 8-12 year bottle, but throw in the fact that there is a second barrel and this becomes a must buy proposition. From that point, the remaining question is will it be any good... and for $50... that's something I definitely want to find out.
Is this not already a thing? I recall there being an EC toasted that was available earlier this September.. or is this a re-imagining double barrel version of that? The price is that same or slightly less and I did hear rumors that this was to be a non-allocated regular offering, so perhaps this announcement is the fruition of that...Assuming it's the same product then this is amazing news indeed.
ReplyDelete