Elijah Craig 20 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured.

Whisky Advocate's American Whiskey award winner for 2012.

Long time followers of whisk(e)y related news may recall the Elijah Craig 20YO being Whisky Advocate's American Whiskey award winner for 2012. Subsequent accolades confirm Heaven Hill's reputation for big age statements, which must be partly down to a seemingly infinite amount of aged stocks. A Bourbon boom over the last few decades means the reality is a little different. Those stocks are becoming increasingly reduced.

The varying nature of single barrels means their identification is important. The title ‘Best American Whiskey’ is bound to sway some buying decisions - especially when it comes from a reputable source like Whisky Advocate. However, it would be inaccurate to promote all barrels as equals. This bottling is from barrel #42. The front label states: “drawn from the same lot as Whisky Advocate’s American Whisky of the Year”, which implies that it hails from the same distillation run. The barrel reviewed by Malt Advocate was a 2011 release numbered 3735, and was only sold via Heaven Hill’s Bourbon Heritage Centre in Bardstown, Kentucky. The good news is, considering past form, it would be hard to imagine this single barrel to be anything short of brilliant. John Hansell provides a reassuring statement from a February 2nd, 2012 entry, "If there is one thing Heaven Hill has proven on numerous occasions, it’s that they know how to cherry-pick great whiskeys for their single barrel bottlings." 45% Alc../Vol.

Other reviews... From one barrel, and only sold in one location, but well worth the effort to procure a bottle. Nutty toffee, pecan pie, apricot, berried jam, and nougat, peppered with cinnamon, mint, cocoa, and tobacco. Warming, with polished leather and dried spice on the finish. Seamless, richly textured, and impeccably balanced. 96 points - whiskyadvocate.com