Heaven Hill Distillery is one of the big boys. One of the grand old Kentucky distilleries churning out unimaginable amounts of bourbon each year, crafted with a know-how that they've built up since opening just after the end of Prohibition. We are always happy when we get a chance to select a private barrel of Elijah Craig Bourbon from them, and only wish it was more often, because they never disappoint. Trying through this round of EC samples, each one was really exciting, showcasing different aspects of their signature profile. Sometimes making a barrel selection, you'll see samples all picked from one barrel after another right down the rack, or quality will go up and down as you taste through the options - which is why we always vet our single barrels and only bring in the best of the best. This Elijah round the consistency of quality on offer was wild, which made for a fun challenge. In the end it became a debate as to which classic Heaven Hill nuances we wanted this time, and we think fans of rich and classic bourbons, with heavy caramel and barrel charred maple syrup notes - will be particularly pleased.

 

Barrel #7043379 was aged for over 8 years on the 2nd floor of warehouse Y before bottling without chill filtration at 122.4 proof. The nose offers scents of maple syrup, Nutella, marzipan, and roasted nuts. The palate begins sweet with maple syrup drenched pancakes, marzipan, hazelnut, and cola. Baking chocolate joins on the mid-palate and continues through the finish where it's joined by some light baking spice and leather-y oak.