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Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
BourbonIssue 81

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Elijah Craig · Heaven Hill Distillery

94 proofNASKentucky, USA
Heaven Hill's toasted barrel treatment gives this bourbon a second layer of wood influence without overwhelming the base spirit. It is a study in how an additional resting period in a different char environment can redirect familiar flavors into something notably rounder. A worthy daily drinker with enough complexity for contemplation.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Butterscotch and toasted marshmallow lead, followed by baking spice and a thread of dried orange peel. There is a distinct caramel corn sweetness that anchors everything without becoming cloying.

Palate

The entry is plush and buttery, with brown sugar and vanilla wafer giving way to charred oak and a whisper of dark cocoa. Midpalate brings warming cinnamon and a subtle nuttiness that adds dimension.

Finish

Medium-long, with lingering maple sweetness and a gentle tannic grip from the toasted barrel staves.

Specifications
Mash Bill
78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, 10% Rye
Barrel Type
New charred American oak, finished in toasted new American oak
Bottled in Bond
No
Single Barrel
No
Wheated
No
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Toasted Paper Plane — 1 oz Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel · 1 oz Aperol · 1 oz Amaro Nonino · 1 oz fresh lemon juice · Shake with ice and strain into a coupe.

Food Pairing

Brown butter pecan pie or smoked pork belly burnt ends

The Story

Finished in a second new oak barrel with a custom toast profile at Heaven Hill's Bardstown campus, this bourbon draws its distinctive sweetness from the slow caramelization of wood sugars during that extra interval of rest.

Train These Aromas
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