BOTM 9/07: Elijah Craig 18yo

[jeff]

September is a special month for bourbon lovers. Drawn from around the world, they descend on Bardstown, KY to share and marvel in the phenomenon that is KY Straight Bourbon Whiskey. In honor of the KY Bourbon Festival, and to Bettye Jo and Heaven Hill, who are always most gracious hosts to SB.com in Bardstown, the Bourbon of the Month for September 2007 is: Elijah Craig 18yo.

The older sibling of the 12yo, EC18 takes bourbon lovers down a different path with an array of uniquely intense flavors and aromas. Not for the faint of heart, this brand demonstrates that all bourbon whiskey is not the same, and that there is a time and place for each.

Help us celebrate the 2007 KY Bourbon Festival by raising a glass of EC18 to bourbon, fun and friendship :toast:

:893drillsergeant-thSound off:893drillsergeant-th

[boone]

What a wonderful honor :grin: :grin: :grin:

Thanks Jeff :grin: :grin:

We will brag on this honor proudly :grin: :grin:

I'm deep in the mist of pulling things together for the Boone Shindig/Straightbourbon.com, Bourbonian Taster of the Year 2007 :grin: :grin: :grin:

Most of you know that Elijah Craig, Single Barrel 18 is my favorite :grin: :grin: :grin: It's what I like in bourbon :grin: :grin:

I always keep a bottle open for guests...The one in my collection (never to be opened) was given to me by the "chiefs" at Heaven Hill...for causing such a "ruckus" on the grounds of Spalding Hall :grin: :grin: :grin: I ran the booth for them in the early days of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. We rolled out a new look for the Fighting Cock Bourbon...I dressed the booth like a "chicken coup"...Went to Wal-Mart and bought a feather pillow...cut it open and let it flY--->in the booth...Feather's were everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:bigeyes: :bigeyes: :grin: :grin: :grin: the wind picked up and everyone had feathers! :grin: :grin:

It was one of those things that you know you are going to catch hell for but you do it anyway... kinda things :grin: :grin:

[cowdery]

Elijah Craig 18 will tell you just about everything you need to know about very old bourbons; the good, the bad, and the transcendent. It's where you find all of those flavors that people who hate tasting notes find so unfathomable: pipe tobacco, old leather, smoked meat...that sort of thing.

EC18 also is one of the few very-olds you can count on to be consistent because it is one of the few (along with the BTAC) that comes from a distiller producer.

I like EC18 but it isn't a bottle I reach for often. It has such strong flavors it is hard to drink it casually. It demands that you pay attention so drink it when you are alone, because you don't want people to see you talking back to your glass.

[SBOmarc]

I agree that It being a bottle that I don't reach for, but I do appreciate Elijah Craig 18 for all of the reasons that were stated. I also appreciate the price point. At that age to be consistently below $0 in this market is to be respected.

[snakster]

Well, I've never had it. But a quick search on the LCB website tells me there are a few bottles available in my general vicinity. I have been looking for an excuse to pick up a bottle of this to try (EC12 is one of my favorite poker night bottles - bang for your buck kind of thing).

With the understanding that this will be different (and with an open mind) I shall track one of these bottles down. I shall drink it thinking of chicken feathers and the gathering in Bardstown (thanks for the imagery boone).

[jburlowski]

I keep coming back to this pour.... Usually I don't like high oak content, but for some reason, EC 18's astringency is a feature --- not a flaw. I find adding just a touch of water really brings out the complexity.

[OscarV]

EC18yo was one of the first "premium bourbons" I tried, I was overwhelmed and confused.

It was different every time I tried it.

I did not pick up the char that some people complain about.

But a year later I gave one to my Father-in-Law for Christmas and after that elasped time I have matured in bourbon tasting and the char hit me right off the bat.

I kept sippin' and it changes in your glass while sipping it.

I do need to get another one now that more time has passed, I think maybe now I am worthy of what I consider Heaven Hill's highly under-rated and most exquisite expression to date.

[Gillman]

I always said, this bourbon is great. Some of it is actually 22-25 years old (speaking of old bourbons).

I think in my considered "mature years" (oh yeah?) I've decided I either like very old bourbons or youngish ones. Some kind of synergy occurs between the barrel and the whisky at advanced ages that isn't linear, if you dig.

Same thing with the great 15, 20 and 23 year ORVWs and the KBD Vintage bourbons.

Gary

[AVB]

When I fisrt got here I did a side by side of 3 old HH products. Some might find it interesting.

3 old bourbons

[Brennan77]

EC18yo was one of the first "premium bourbons" I tried, I was overwhelmed and confused.

It was different every time I tried it.

I did not pick up the char that some people complain about.

But a year later I gave one to my Father-in-Law for Christmas and after that elasped time I have matured in bourbon tasting and the char hit me right off the bat.

I kept sippin' and it changes in your glass while sipping it.

I do need to get another one now that more time has passed, I think maybe now I am worthy of what I consider Heaven Hill's highly under-rated and most exquisite expression to date.

This whiskey is a bit austere. My wife, who is familiar with the aroma of eucalyptus confirmed that it is dominant in the early life of the pour. Over the last 20 minutes, I'm getting much more leather and char with a mild caramel/candy backbone. This whiskey is much drier on the palate than I remember/anticipated. I'm really enjoying this pour tonight and feel somewhat guilty for speaking poorly of this bourbon in the past. It's certainly unique and worth a spot on the shelf.

[whiskeyhatch]

This is one of my favorites. It takes bourbon to a whole new level. It's adventerous, challenging, edgy, dark.... and by god it works! It really pushes the boundry of my understanding of bourbon; and for that, I love it!

[HighTower]

It took me a lot of chasing (over 2 years) to finally get some of this to Australia, before I discovered this site. All I can say is it was worth the wait. It always has a place on my shelf, and I make it last!

I will have some this week to coincide with the KBF/Boone events.

:toast:

Scott

[Jeff G.]

My brother was kind enough to buy me a bottle of EC18 for my birthday.

It is a great bourbon, although you do have to be in the right mood to for it.

It isn't an everyday bourbon like say, Makers Mark but if you are in the mood for something with powerful flavors, it hits the spot!

I don't know what EC does to it's bourbon but it is alway uniquely different. Other bourbons have their own flavors, nuances but EC has strikingly different flavors---which is not a bad thing.....

[T47]

EC has strikingly different flavors---which is not a bad thing

That is how I would have to describe EC18. It is the most unique bottle of Bourbon that I have tasted. When I first tasted it, I found the wood flavor over whelming.

The only other Bourbon with any real "age" that I have tried was the PVW 20 and I find the two as far apart in flavor as EC 12 is from EC 18.

If someone has several bottles of Bourbon for freinds to try, this one should be on the shelf.

For me the nose is full of smokey oak...the char flavor is intense but not unpleasent, the finish is slightly bitter. My bottle is a couple years old, so maybe the newer versions vary?

It stands alone I think in my brief Bourbon history. The flavor so different, not bad, just different.

[Hedmans Brorsa]

Somewhat shame-faced, I have to admit that I have never tried this bourbon. All the details I´ve gotten over the years seem to scream out loud: too old! Well, too old for my tastes, at least.

I cannot rule out a future purchase but for the moment I opt for EWSB or McKenna Bib when I pick a quality bourbon from HH.

[ACDetroit]

Well since work has dictated my schedule for this years event :hot: , I thought I'd reach for the back of the bar and get this bottle out.

Elijah Craig 18 year old

Barreled 9-13-82

Barrel # 451

I will agree with most of the comments posted on this bottle, the finish is so very unique! The woodyness sweetens and drys the pallate. This bottle really has a lot to say (it will soon be in the empty's post). The replacement is from 89, the year I graduated HS, can't wait to see what this one has to offer.

Cheer's to the Festival and all you SB.comers attending, I can not wait to read the posts when everyone returns.

[jinenjo]

The replacement is from 89, the year I graduated HS, can't wait to see what this one has to offer.

My first bottle (and I'm only on my second) was from that year--also my H.S. graduation date--and it was outstanding. The second--from Binny's--which I recently opened, has been equally as good, yet surpisingly more mellow (younger I assume).

Needless to say, this rates up among my top Bourbons. Because of it's uniqueness, I love it. My tastes tend to move toward more dynamic profiles and the EC18 certainly fits the bill.

I might even go so far as to say it is the "Islay Malt" of Bourbon--also my favorite style of Scotch.

[TimmyBoston]

An excellent choice this month

[mgilbertva]

The tasting notes match perfectly with how I remember EC18.

A few years back a friend of mine encouraged me to purchase a bottle of EC18, saying it was one of his two favorite bourbons (Bookers being the other one). I was just beginning my serious bourbon explorations, and took his advice.

I hated it.

After a few pours I gave it to him, and I think a dirty look may have accompanied the "gift."

Since then, my tastes have changed dramatically and my knowledge has expanded. Perhaps it's time I revisit what has been for me an oppugnant pour.

[MurphyDawg]

Not one of my favorite bourbons on its own merits. That said, it just may be the SUPERLATIVE cigar whiskey! The extra aging seems to lend notes to the whiskey that blend well with some of the stronger smokes I have.

TomC

[mgilbertva]

Hmm, good advice. I'll definitely try it in that venue.

[Luna56]

Two thumbs up on the EC 18, I love it. I bought a bottle for some friends a month ago or so and they were kind enough to share some with me. It instantly became my favorite bourbon.

I was in Kentucky recently (first day of the Bourbon Fest, which I had to miss) and had a day off, so my wife and I took the tour at Heaven Hill. It was great, and the tasting was fun, although it seemed I was the only bourbon fan there. We all dug the EC 18. Incidentally, there was a barrel in the rickhouse that had recently been discovered that nobody could identify. It looked very, very old, nearly black and covered in what looked like mineral deposits, I assume from whatever leaches out of the barrel. Intriguing.

Got some Glencairn glasses while there, very nice, but had to skip buying a bottle of the EC 18, as I can get two bottles here in NH for just a bit more than they charge in the HH gift shop. I ended up finding a couple of bottles of Four Roses Single Barrel in a crummy little liquor store to bring back and have been very impressed with this as well.

In any case, three cheers to the good folks at HH. I'll finish my bottle tonight but there's another on the horizon I'm sure.

Cheers

[HighTower]

Incidentally, there was a barrel in the rickhouse that had recently been discovered that nobody could identify. It looked very, very old, nearly black and covered in what looked like mineral deposits, I assume from whatever leaches out of the barrel. Intriguing.

They'll probably bottle it and send it to Japan, they'll pay big bucks for that!

Scott

[Stu]

As a bourbon novice, this one took no getting used to. Probably the wood and smoke and earthiness appealed to my single malt pallet. I'll say the same about Pappy 12 lot B, 20, and 23, and Four Roses single barrel.

Stu

[melting]

Excellent choice for this months selection. I'll admit that I only drink it about once a month or so. It's perfect for Friday night out back sitting by the fire.

Chris