Elijah craig 18

[Sgtspitter101]

I won a ec18 in a lottery im guessing at msrp. How is this bourbon? I have heard it is over oaked at 18y i am debating on passing and getting a couple $50 range bottles. Probably woodford double oaked and angels envy.

[CardsandBourbon]

If you can get an EC 18 at MSRP I would do it.  I'm partial to oaky bourbons and I don't think this is over oaked.  The WR DO is going to be more oak forward than the EC 18.  Plus, you can get WR DO any day of the week and EC 18 is much harder to obtain.  

[smokinjoe]

I recently picked up an EC18 and it is spectacular.  The best whiskey I’ve had this year.  
 

Just personally speaking, I don’t think double oaked or rebarrelled bourbons are a substitute for highly aged bourbons from their original barrels.  The second barrel does give some enhancements to the original whiskey, but it is more of a top layer addition, and doesn’t replicate the fullness of oak aging of the original barrel aging.  Two different animals, IMO.  
 

Uber aged bourbons are fickle.  It takes a fine touch to get them right.  For me, HH nailed this one.  

[CUfan99]

3 hours ago, Sgtspitter101 said:

I won a ec18 in a lottery im guessing at msrp. How is this bourbon? I have heard it is over oaked at 18y i am debating on passing and getting a couple $50 range bottles. Probably woodford double oaked and angels envy.

Even if it turns out to not be spectacular I think you’ll regret not giving it a try. You can find those other 2 bottles any day. Not so with the EC18! 
 

Also, if @smokinjoesays it’s good I’m buying if I can. 

[Clueby]

I love EC18. Yes its woody..but in an awesome way.

[BigSkyDrams]

I’ve never had EC18. But it is unquestionably one I would buy near MSRP if given opportunity. HH has earned enough goodwill with me through their other offerings that it’s just no question I would want to try some advanced age offerings.

[geclbxf]

14 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

I recently picked up an EC18 and it is spectacular.  The best whiskey I’ve had this year.  
 

Just personally speaking, I don’t think double oaked or rebarrelled bourbons are a substitute for highly aged bourbons from their original barrels.  The second barrel does give some enhancements to the original whiskey, but it is more of a top layer addition, and doesn’t replicate the fullness of oak aging of the original barrel aging.  Two different animals, IMO.  
 

Uber aged bourbons are fickle.  It takes a fine touch to get them right.  For me, HH nailed this one.  

I did a SBS on last years model and then this year's - and my palate loved this years -hands down.  

[Marekv8]

20 hours ago, Sgtspitter101 said:

I won a ec18 in a lottery im guessing at msrp. How is this bourbon? I have heard it is over oaked at 18y i am debating on passing and getting a couple $50 range bottles. Probably woodford double oaked and angels envy.

I think it's the most well-balanced bourbon on the street-- austere/sweet/oak/proof/finish. Sucks that they 86ed the direct-print filigree on the structure.

[smokinjoe]

1 hour ago, Marekv8 said:

I think it's the most well-balanced bourbon on the street-- austere/sweet/oak/proof/finish. Sucks that they 86ed the direct-print filigree on the structure.

I agree on all points, Dave.  Especially, the bottle art.  That old filigree design was classy and beautiful.  

[fosmith]

Get the EC 18.  I've never been able to acquire a bottle but had it in a bar once and loved it.  Not at all over oaked.  My understanding is that these are single barrels so there could be some variation.  But since it's kind a flagship expression, I would bet that they put a lot of care into barrel selection. 

Edited November 7, 2020 by fosmith

[JoeTerp]

I've liked it before when I've had it.  If it's at retail it's probably worth getting.

[Flyfish]

I've only had two. The first was wonderful. The second (and therefore the last) was a huge disappointment. Can not account for that.

[B.B. Babington]

8 hours ago, Flyfish said:

...The second (and therefore the last) was a huge disappointment....

When was this? Recently? Do you remember year?  Your bottle or someone else's in the bottom quarter of the bottle?

[Patrick_OKC]

My only bottles have been quite consistent. OTOH, my last purchases were in 2012 or 2013, when the price increased from $38 to $120. Thanks to SB, I knew the increase was coming, so I jumped on three bottles when I stumbled across them in South OKC.

 

Pat

[DeepCover]

On 11/14/2020 at 8:31 AM, Flyfish said:

I've only had two. The first was wonderful. The second (and therefore the last) was a huge disappointment. Can not account for that.

I bought one in 2015 and was quite excited about it. I opened it and all I could taste was hay and oak. It was terrible. I never bothered to search another bottle out. In fact, I passed on one at MSRP this week. The LS owner was shocked that I didn’t go for it.

[TehRegion219]

W12 $56ish otd

 

binnys

 

That is all

[webfoots]

I just opened a newer bottling of EC18 the other day and absolutely loved it. I would purchase another at MSRP if it was available

[Kepler]

I always pass on EC18 whether it's msrp or not.  Not a fan of uber aged HH juice. I find it perfect around 12 years old however.

[EarthQuake]

EC18 is good if you're into heavy oak profile (am a termite, so, yes I'm into it). Though I don't think it's worth the retail price, which is $150 or so in my area. Barterhouse was a better buy at $80 when it was available. And I would much rather have a 14-15 year Knob Creek pick at $40. Heck I would rather pay $80 for a 15 year KC pick than $150 for EC18.

[EarthQuake]

On 11/6/2020 at 5:22 PM, smokinjoe said:

Just personally speaking, I don’t think double oaked or rebarrelled bourbons are a substitute for highly aged bourbons from their original barrels.  The second barrel does give some enhancements to the original whiskey, but it is more of a top layer addition, and doesn’t replicate the fullness of oak aging of the original barrel aging.  Two different animals, IMO.  

This is my experience as well. I find double-oaked bourbons tend to add a different sort of raw or fresh oak flavor (for lack of a better way to describe it) rather than the more well developed complexity that more time in the same barrel adds. Generally I associate the double-barrel flavor more with young craft bourbon aged in micro barrels than I do with ultra aged bourbons.

Edited November 22, 2020 by EarthQuake

[flahute]

8 minutes ago, EarthQuake said:

This is my experience as well. I find double-oaked bourbons tend to add a different sort of raw or fresh oak flavor (for lack of a better way to describe it) rather than the more well developed complexity that more time in the same barrel adds. Generally I associate the double-barrel flavor more with young craft bourbon aged in micro barrels than I do with ultra aged bourbons.

Agree with this assessment. I generally do not like the double oaked bourbons.

[Flyfish]

On 11/14/2020 at 6:28 PM, B.B. Babington said:

When was this? Recently? Do you remember year?  Your bottle or someone else's in the bottom quarter of the bottle?

They were my EC18s. First I bought after having a free sample following the tour at HH. Second when Party Source offered free shipping (which must have been a foolish business decision). Don't recall the year(s). When I was even more anal retentive than now, I kept a spread sheet. Stopped in 2016 because it was so discouraging to have documentary evidence of the steady rise in prices and decline in age statements. 

   When your girl friend dumps you by saying, "It isn't you, it's me" you know it is really you. When I find my reaction to a bourbon changing radically, I am inclined to think it ain't the bourbon, it's me. 

[fosmith]

11 hours ago, EarthQuake said:

This is my experience as well. I find double-oaked bourbons tend to add a different sort of raw or fresh oak flavor (for lack of a better way to describe it) rather than the more well developed complexity that more time in the same barrel adds. Generally I associate the double-barrel flavor more with young craft bourbon aged in micro barrels than I do with ultra aged bourbons.

My only experience with double oaked bourbon is Old Forester 1910 and I really don't care for it at all.  It's like a heavy oak syrup was poured over what was a pretty ordinary bourbon. 

[BigSkyDrams]

Not really on-topic, but I am firmly in the camp of loving Woodford DO and OF1910... just goes to show (again) that within the umbrella of bourbon-fans there is still tremendous variation in preferences and palates. Good thing we have so much to choose from!