BOTM 9/07: Elijah Craig 18yo

[Jeff G.]

Forgot this thread was here, posted below.

I shared a bottle with friends at the lake last weekend. It was well enjoyed by all. Everyone was surprised at the lack of heavy bite considering it's 90 proof.

I tried it with a little water. BAD idea... usually I find a little water opens up a good boubon. With the EJ18 it makes it bitter.. go figure......

Jeff

[mgilbertva]

At the risk of asking a silly question, what kind of water did you use? Some tap water has chemicals that can mix poorly with whiskey.

[Jeff G.]

At the risk of asking a silly question, what kind of water did you use? Some tap water has chemicals that can mix poorly with whiskey.

Fiji water from a bottle.

[StraightBoston]

(Somehow I always find the BOTM thread a month after it closes, but by happy coincidence I found myself with a glass of EC18 the other night, watching the Red Sox trounce the Rockies!)

First tried this in a restaurant and was delighted by the oak on the nose -- the most distinctive characteristic of this bourbon. Pleased with consistency between that first pour and the two bottles I've gone through. The age dampens the distinctive HH mint/menthol/eucalyptus flavor, revealing a robust warm mouthfeel, and for me the char doesn't appear until the finish (more so in my 2nd bottle than the first -- I settle it with a sip of the ice water back.) I actually get more smoke out of some of the older EWSB than the EC18. I've tried the EW 23yo overseas and that one's nothing but charcoal to me.

A great sipping bourbon to contemplate... one of my favorites.