It’s time for a wee review of one of my favourite bourbons. In fact this Elijah Craig Small Batch is the bourbon that got me into the category. Falling head over heels with their Barrel Proof it wasn’t until yesterday that I realised I had never reviewed the OG, the 94 proof Small Batch. A quintessential bourbon from the Heaven Hill distillery in Kentucky. A brand named after the self acclaimed “Father or Bourbon”! So without further ado… let’s dive into the tasting notes!
Tasting Notes: Elijah Craig Small Batch
Stats:
Distillery: Heaven Hill
ABV: 47% (94 proof)
Age: NAS (It’s a Straight Bourbon so a minimum of two years)
Natural Colour: yes (bourbon by law has to be)
Chill-Filtered: no
Nose:
Luscious notes of vanilla, sandalwood, kardamom and crisp caramel flow from the glass into your olfactory system when nosing this dram. It’s both rich and complex. What I love most about this bourbon is that it shows plenty of woodinfluence, without becoming either overly vanilla dominant or too tannic. The balance here is just perfect.
Palate:
Darken and more intense than the nose, this palate brings forth all the flavours from the nose paired with a generous helping of ground black pepper. Some liquorice root and tea leaf notes seem to add even more depth to this already impressively complex dram. Hints of maraschino cherry and brown sugar are the icing on the cake!
Finish:
The finish is medium-long to long, with tannins popping their head up for the first time here. Tannins can give an unpleasant feeling, but in this case the experience is mild enough for it still to be pleasant. Though it does numb the sides of the tongue a little. It’s the more oak forward flavours that linger either way, with some tree bark, oak shavings, and some resin notes appearing aplenty. That might not sound all that appetizing, but paired with the luscious amounts of caramel this finish also brings I can tell you it hits the spot for me!
Verdict:
It can be such a joy to go back and review some of the classics that got you into whisky. And for the bourbon category it was definitely this Elijah Craig Small Batch from the Heaven Hill Distillery. The balance of flavours is perfect and seem to fit my palate like a glove. On top of all that this bottle is an absolute bargain and that makes it a permashelf addition to my collection!
