Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel

August 11, 2020 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample of Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel and a small comparison sample of Elijah Craig Small Batch with no strings attached.

IMAGE: A bottle of Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel casually resting on a shelf. 94 proof.

Hey there! Sorry about last week. It turns out that I had the opportunity to rent a private house on the north shore of Lake Superior for a few days and I took it. My wife and I were in desperate need of time out of our house and we felt like we could sterilize and isolate effectively enough to take the risk.

I mean it couldn’t be worse than visiting our local grocery stores where half the patrons are not only not wearing masks, but are also making fun of those who do.

And it was a wonderful trip! Listening to the waves crashing against the rocky shoreline while drinking my coffee in the morning was very relaxing. And doing it while not having internet or cell service was even more so.

But just before I left, I got a package from Heaven Hill. Inside was a bottle of the recently announced Toasted Barrel version of Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig Bourbon. Helpfully they also included a comparison sample of standard Elijah Craig Small Batch as well as example barrel stave samples to illustrate what has causes Toasted Barrel to be different than Small Batch Elijah Craig. So what is the difference between this new expression and the Small Batch one that has been out for a few years now?

In a nutshell, it was finished in a second new charred oak barrel in which the staves had been heavily toasted and lightly charred. This bourbon started out as the same juice used in Elijah Craig Small Batch. As with most other Heaven Hill products, including standard Elijah Craig, it had been aged in a barrel whose staves were charred to a #3 level char. I’ve included an example of that below (ignore the shininess, they were kind enough to put a finish on the wood so that we didn’t get charcoal all over everything).

IMAGE an example of a number 3 level char. This shows immense blistering and is the stave style used for primary aging of all Elijah Craig Bourbons.

After it was fully matured, the juice that could have become Small Batch was entered into a second barrel. As I said above, this was a second new charred oak barrel. The staves were heavily toasted and lightly charred to a #1 level char. According to Heaven Hill, the toasting was done to “bring forward dark sugar flavors within the wood, caramelizing and blending them together to create a toast that is not too smoky and offers just the right amount of sweetness.” The charring was done to maintain the standards of identity of Straight Bourbon Whiskey by only using new charred oak in the finishing process. (In other words, they don’t have to say “Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in XYZ barrels” on the label.) I’ve included an image of both of the example staves they sent along below. One stave illustrates the level of toasting that happened before charring and the other shows the char level of the staves that the finishing barrel was made of.

I think this stuff is pretty neat. But you are probably wondering how the new kid tastes and how it compares to standard Elijah Craig Small Batch.

IMAGE: An example of the toasted finishing stave both before and after charing. Notice the minimal scarring on the charred version. this is an example of a number 1 level char.

Elijah Craig: Toasted Barrel

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by Heaven Hill for review purposes. The suggested retail price is about $49.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.33

Details: 47% ABV. Finished in new charred oak barrels that have been heavily toasted.

Nose: Toffee, mint, cinnamon, ginger and hints of molasses.

Mouth: Sweet. Caramel, fruit, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Finish: Medium in both length and warmth. Lingering fruit, cinnamon, mint, nutmeg, and some cocoa.

Comparison to Elijah Craig Small Batch: Noses are pretty similar with the Toasted Barrel showing much more toffee. The mouth of Toasted Barrel is sweeter, richer and fruitier. The finish of Toasted Barrel is softer than the finish of the standard Small Batch.

Thoughts: This is great! Many of the same notes as Elijah Craig Small Batch, but more concentrated and refined. I find it to be sweeter and richer. I really like it and I'll happily grab a bottle of this if I see it.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Maker's Mark "Generations of Proof" Gift Set

July 30, 2020 Eric Burke

A few months ago, just before COVID shut us all down, I was out furniture shopping. While I was out, I decided to stop by a liquor store that I usually don’t frequent. Just to see what they had. You never know when you are going to stumble onto something that might make a good blog post.

As I walked in, I saw that they had a complete set of the Rhetoric Bourbon Collection sitting right where their tasting bar used to be. Not being in the mood to drop $2600 on bourbon, I kept walking. But I was interested enough that I decided to see what else might be lurking on the bourbon shelves. Obviously I was looking for something that was a bit closer to a freelance designer’s price range. I wasn’t disappointed when I got to the bourbon section. Right there on the top shelf, sitting sideways so as not to take up too many facings was a Maker’s Mark collection from last year (the copyright is 2019, that’s the extent of my knowledge about this).

Now, I’m a fan of Maker’s Mark from way back. The delightful redhead was one of my first bourbon loves and really is still one of the only wheated bourbons that I like as much as bourbons that use rye. So when I saw this collection that has cask-strength versions of Maker’s, Maker’s 46, and a Maker’s Private Select, I thought that was pretty neat and decided to bring it home with me. I then stuck it into the closet and forgot about it.

I remembered it the other day when I read that this year’s limited edition bourbon was going to be Maker’s 46 Cask Strength. Now I’ve had Maker’s 46 Cask Strength before. But I’ve always had to go to Kentucky to get it. I picked up two bottles back in 2015 when they first started selling it at the distillery. I’ve also picked up a couple of Maker’s Private Select from the gift shop that only used the Maker’s 46 staves. So…essentially Maker’s 46 Cask Strength. And I like it enough that if I see that limited edition out there somewhere (I never did see last year’s) that I will probably pick that up as well.

So since it is somewhat topical, I decided to pull this collection back out of the closet and give it a look. One thing I didn’t notice when I bought it was that they have Cask Strength versions of the core product that each of the Samuels’ family developed during their time in charge. Maker’s Mark from Bill Sr. Maker’s 46 from Bill Jr. And Private Select from Rob. This particular one using a finishing stave combination that has his name on it. Like I said previously, pretty neat.

Because I’ve previously reviewed both Maker’s Cask Strength and Maker’s 46 Cask Strength, I’m only going to go over the tasting notes for the Rob Samuel’s Private Select. This is getting long enough as it is.

Maker's Mark Private Select: Rob Samuels (from Maker's Mark "Generations of Proof" Gift Set)

Purchase Info: $84.99 for the gift set (three 375ml bottle) from Lakeville Liquors, Lakeville, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.78

Details: 55.1% ABV. Staves used: Two Seared French Cuvee, four Roasted French Mocha, four Toasted French Spice.

Nose: Strong butterscotch notes followed by cinnamon and nutmeg with fleeting hints of mint.

Mouth: Warm and sweet. More butterscotch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Oak, ginger, and almond follow.

Finish: Warm and medium length. Lingering notes of Toffee, cocoa powder, oak, almond

Thoughts: This is terrific. I really like it. I may need to keep an eye out and see if there any more of these sitting on the shelf in the area.

So how does Rob's selection compare to those of his father and Grandfather?

Comparison with Maker's 46 cask Strength: Rob Samuel's is much sweeter on the nose. It's also much sweeter on the mouth. the Maker's 46 has a nicer mouthfeel and features the oak and spice more prominently.

Comparison with Maker's Mark Cask Strength: The nose on these are similar. Rob Samuel's shows more prominent "Christmas notes" of cinnamon and nutmeg. Maker's Cask Strength is the more assertive of the two even at a lower proof. It isn't nearly as sweet as the other two but is much spicier.

If we were forced to choose our favorite, I'd say the Maker's Cask Strength is mine while my wife chooses Maker's 46 cask strength. All three are very good though and I am going to enjoy every drop in all three of these bottles.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Spring 2020 Edition

July 28, 2020 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Sample bottle of Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond, Spring 2020 edition. 100 proof, 9 years old.

Well, I stepped on the scale today for the first time in a few years. My wife told me the battery had died so I’d replaced the battery and decided to test it out to make sure it worked.

I knew I’d gotten fat, but whooo…didn’t realize it was that much.

Luckily, I’ve been down this road before. I know what to do. I have a treadmill and an exercise bike. l know how to track calories and hold myself accountable. I know not to order DoorDash twice or more per week. I know not to have as much bourbon and beer. I know all of that.

So I’m going to try to get healthy. Or at least healthier. I’ve never been a believer in giving up all the things you like. But moderation is always a good policy. And if I’m going to moderate and monitor my intake of “good things” I might as well go for quality over quantity. Have a really good meal once in a while instead of multiple “ok” but convenient ones. Have one really great pour of bourbon instead of a couple pours that are merely good.

Speaking of bourbons that should be really good, let’s look at tonight’s sample, shall we?

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Spring 2020 Edition

Purchase Price: This sample was graciously provided by Heaven Hill for review purposes. The suggested retail price is about $90.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.00

Details: Made: Spring 2011. Bottled: Spring 2020. 50% ABV. 9-years-old. Wheated.

Nose: Cinnamon red hots, caramel rolls, vanilla.

Mouth: Cinnamon, oak, brown sugar, vanilla.

Finish: Sweet and spicy and medium length. Really getting some lingering caramel cinnamon rolls.

Thoughts: Well, my wife (the accountant and our major breadwinner) has informed me that if I happen across this one at anywhere near SRP, that it had better be coming home with me. I guess that says all that needs to be said. Well, except... Yes, ma' am!

Four Gate Whiskey Company: Batch 7, River Kelvin Rye

July 23, 2020 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Four Gate Whiskey Company for providing a review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Sample bottle of Four Gate Whiskey Company, Batch 7 “River Kelvin Rye.” 113.2 Proof. Straight Rye Whiskey.

If you’ve been reading my work for any length of time, you will know that I am a very frugal person. Probably not as frugal as many of my readers, I mean I do buy enough whiskey to keep this site filled with reviews. But I am pretty frugal in spite of, or maybe because of, that.

I appreciate delicious whiskey but I know that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a delicious whiskey. In fact, much of the time what you are paying for is scarcity, not quality. Though they might line up on occasion, charging $100 for a whiskey doesn't make it a good whiskey. Charging $200 doesn’t make it better. Cost and quality can, and do often align, but that is more correlation than causation.

Take tonight’s whiskey. This whiskey is described as “95/5 Indiana Straight Rye” on the info sheet. I’m going to guess MGP but have not asked specifically. They aren’t selling a bottle of barrel strength MGP for $175 because it is amazing whiskey (though odds are that it is, MGP very consistently makes amazing whiskey). They are selling it for that price because they are only selling 1,484 bottles of the stuff.

Is the price unreasonable? Well, from the producer’s side of the equation..no idea. I have no idea how much a barrel of 7-year-old MGP rye sells for these days. But I did some quick math based on the retail cost and if every bottle sells at the Suggested Retail Price only $259,685 will be made from Batch 7. And that will need to be split between the retailer, the distributor, the tax agencies (state, local and federal), and the producer who will then use their cut to pay for overhead, supplies, and manpower while hopefully making a profit.

I honestly didn’t think that I was going to be defending the price of the whiskey when I sat down to write this. And I’m really not. Like I said above, I am super frugal, and a freelancer, so there is no way I can afford a bottle of their product. But after sitting down to do the math, I can at least understand why a company might feel the need to charge this high of a price. Whether that price is worth it to you on the retail end is not my call. But let’s see what it tastes like anyway.

Four Gate Whiskey Company: Batch 7, River Kelvin Rye

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously supplied by the producer for review purposes. Suggested retail price is: $174.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $11.67

Details: “95/5 Indiana Straight Rye” (going out on a limb to say that means MGP though this has not been confirmed by the company), 56.6% ABV, 7 years old, 1,484 bottle batch. Available in Kentucky and Indiana.

Nose: Mint, bubble gum, brown sugar, baking spices

Mouth: Mint, brown sugar, baking spice, oak

Finish: Long and spicy. Cooling mint, brown sugar oak, cinnamon, and a hint of cedar.

Thoughts: This is a delicious rye whiskey. It is also, as I said above, way out of my price range. If $175 is an easy spend for you, then this is great. You should buy it if you see it. If like me, you gasp a little at the thought of paying almost $200 for a whiskey, then you should probably pass on this one. It is a very good “95/5 Indiana Straight Rye” (probably MGP) but there are a ton of those out there that are in my price range even if they don’t have the same age or proof on them.

I will, however, be looking forward to the two barrel finished batches of this whiskey that they will be putting out later this year. One in the “Split-Stave” style barrels that they have used on previous bourbon batches and one that will be finished in a “Ruby Port-Rum casks.” I’ve saved as much as could of this sample to compare on the off-chance they send a sample of either of them over.

Knob Creek 9-year-old (2016) vs Knob Creek 9-year-old (2020)

July 21, 2020 Eric Burke

IMAGE: Two bottles of Knob Creek Bourbon Whiskey side by side. One from 2016 and one from 2020.

A couple of months ago, I did a review comparing a 2016 bottle of Knob Creek 9-year-old to the then-current Non-Age Stated version of the product.

Well, I thought it was only a couple of months ago. I went back to look at it and it was actually over a year ago on July 2, 2019, that I wrote that post. You know what they say about time moving faster as you get older, don’t you? Well, it seems I am getting older. Because I could have sworn an oath that it had only been a few months.

Well, when I wrote that, I promised that when I got my hands on one of the new age-stated bottles that I would do a comparison. And here it is. Besides, if I don’t then why did I sit on this bottle of Knob Creek for four years?

Knob Creek Nine-Year-Old (2016) vs Knob Creek Nine-Year-Old (2019)

Purchase Info: $33.99 at Village Liquor, Prior Lake, MN for the 2020 version. It’s been four years, I have no clue for the 2016 version.

Nose: Very similar. 2020 is richer on the nose showing more caramel/vanilla.

Mouth: 2016 shows a good hit of dry oak, but is feeling a bit flat when compared to 2020. 2020 is richer and sweeter, with the oak notes better integrated.

Finish: Both are very similar on the finish with 2020 following the trend of being a bit sweeter.

Thoughts: I was honestly not sure there was going to be much of a difference between these two. I mean, Beam has the resources to be really consistent about hitting a flavor profile. Though if there was going to be a difference, I would have expected that the old, discontinued version would be the one I preferred. (I’m a bit of a pessimist that way.) I'm very glad that the one I can buy now is the better of the two.

Is it possible that because stocks were running low, that maybe they ran low enough that the quality of the product was suffering slightly? Or maybe the stocks were particularly good for this batch? In any case, I'm very happy that an old favorite somehow seems to have gotten even better.

Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye, 2-, 3- and 4-years-old

July 16, 2020 Eric Burke

IMAGE: The front labels of Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Ryes, ranging from 2 to 4 years old.

Just as the pandemic started gaining steam in the US and just as Minnesota was entering our lockdown phase, I finally decided to get off my butt, hop in the truck, and drop off a few of the whiskey samples for a buddy of mine. Talk about waiting until the last minute.

I left them on his front porch and in return he left something for me. It was a perfectly socially distanced exchange as we waved at each other through the windows. I had included a few of the more interesting items that I had picked up since we had last gotten together along with some of the fun things that producers had sent my way. He included a couple of samples of things he’d picked up along with two bottles of Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye. He’d warned me that he was including “something that might inspire a trip to the store for a vertical tasting.”

To say I was shocked at two full bottles being in my sample bag was an understatement, but all I can say is that I really do have the best friends.

Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye, 2-year old

Purchase info: This was a very generous gift from a good friend. Guessing it had been sitting in his collection since it was first released.

Details: 55.7% ABV. Two years old.

Nose: Cinnamon candies, orange zest, and cedar

Mouth: Cedar, orange zest, toffee, ginger

Finish: Medium length with lingering notes of "orange slice" jelly candies, cinnamon, and hints of cedar wood.

Thoughts: Very bright and energetic. Spice, citrus, and cedar throughout. I originally reviewed this way back in 2014. At the time, I thought it needed to more time to age, but these days, I’m ok with the bright energetic flavor of it. In fact, I really enjoyed it. It’s fun to see how our tastes evolve when you’ve had over half a decade between tastings of a product.

Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye, 3-year old

Purchase info: This was a very generous gift from a good friend. Guessing it had been sitting in his collection since it was first released.

Details: 55.2% ABV. Three years old.

Nose: Toffee, cinnamon, orange zest, and cedar

Mouth: Cinnamon candies, "orange slice" jelly candies, toffee, Cedar, and a nutty note.

Finish: Long and warm with lingering nutty notes. Cinnamon and cedar with hints of dark chocolate.

Thoughts: You can definitely tell this started as the same whiskey. This is a lot sweeter as the sweet barrel notes are influencing the orange to make it more candy-like.

Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye, 4-year old

Purchase info: $47.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Price per Drink (50mL): $3.20

Details: 55% ABV. Four years old.

Nose: Dark Chocolate, toffee, cinnamon, and cedar

Mouth: Cedar, cinnamon candies, dark chocolate, toffee, and hints of mint

Finish: Long and warm with lots of cinnamon and cedar, some dark chocolate, and just hints of orange.

Thoughts: I found it interesting how by four-years-old the orange notes are practically non-existent. I'm getting just hints of them at the tail end of the finish. It is also interesting how that cedar note intensified.

In fact, the cedar was one of the dominant flavors throughout the vertical. If you are like my wife and you do not like that flavor, you won't like these. If you like it then you should pick up a bottle. Me? I don't love it, but I don't mind it either. It’s not my favorite rye whiskey note, but it is one I have enjoyed on more than one occasion.

Weirdly, I actually think the four-year-old is actually my least favorite of the bunch. Contrary to my 2014 assessment, maybe it didn’t need time to “grow up.” Compared to the brightness of the 2-year-old, the current 4-year-old feels muted. In fact, I actually prefer to blend the three rather than drinking any of them alone. The base of the four year old brings richness while the addition of the 2-year-old adds a bit of liveliness to the whiskey that I really enjoy.

Overall, as with many ryes, I’ll probably use these in cocktails more than I will neat. I like them but, I think I might have some blending to do in the near future so that I like them even more.

Dad's Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey

July 9, 2020 Eric Burke

Just a little over five years ago, I took my first look at a product from Dad’s Hat. It was a nine-month-old rye whiskey that had been finished in Vermouth barrels. I wasn’t really a fan. I rated it a meh and said the following:

Not being a fan of really young ryes, this is not quite to my palate. That said, it feels like it was a nicely crafted rye before the barrel finishing and I hope they have some stuck away in big barrels for the future.

Honestly, it was the vermouth that threw me on the last one as much as the age. (Turns out, I’m not really a fan of vermouth.) So when I noticed this four-year-old version sitting on the shelf of my local Total Wine during a recent “content run” I knew that I’d need to take another look at the brand. And of course, I picked one that had been aged long enough that it no longer needed an age-statement, even though they were kind enough to put one on the label anyway.

Dad's Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: $59.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.00

Details: Aged a minimum of four years. 47.58 ABV. Mash bill: 80% rye, 20% malt. Aged in 53-gallon barrels.

Nose: Cedar greenery and mint.

Mouth: Cedar, oak, mint, caramel, ginger.

Finish: Medium and warm. Lingering notes of pine needles, anise, and greenery.

Thoughts: Lots of cedar and mint on this one. A good hit of rye malt flavor on the finish, even though the mash bill doesn't list malted rye in it. This pairs very nicely with the Summit "Juicy" IPA I'm having with it. There are similar pine/cedar flavors in them.

Fun fact, I like this better when tasting in a Glencairn glass than I do while drinking it out of my usual old fashioned glass. That’s kind of a knock against it for me as I don’t like drinking out of a Glencairn. Overall I like this because it is interesting but I don’t know that I’ll be reaching for it frequently. Definitely a “change of pace” neat pour for me. It makes a hell of a cocktail though. That said, I’m not sure I’m willing to dish out another $60 for a product I’ll mainly be using as a mixer.

Old Tub Bottled in Bond: Revisited

July 7, 2020 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank the PR folks at Jim Beam for providing a review sample to me with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Tall thin bottle of Old Tub Limited Edition. Bottled in Bond. Unfiltered.

It has been a little over two and a half years (943 days) since I last took a look at Old Tub Bourbon from Jim Beam. And honestly, I don’t usually revisit things this soon. But then the announcement came out that Beam would be doing a limited edition national release of the product. And since I didn’t have an overly positive reaction to it last time around, I decided to reach out and see if they’d send over a sample instead of spending my own money on it. They were happy to do so.

Now, I never used to have the best opinion of Jim Beam. I think I was influenced by both the low opinion of others as I got into bourbon. That and I’ve come to realize that I had a definite lack of appreciation of grain forward bourbons. However, in the last three or four years, I’ve learned an appreciation for a well-crafted grain-forward bourbon. One where the barrel hasn’t entirely taken over. And honestly, there have been a lot more Beam bourbons on my shelf because of that.

So based on my previous rating of “meh” (as a reminder meh means fine whiskey just not to my tastes). I decided that with more people being able to sample this Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, it would only be intellectually honest if I also gave it another try. If my palate had evolved to the point where I liked it, it would be doing a disservice to you to not inform you of that fact.

Plus…free whiskey.

Old Tub Bottled in Bond: Revisited

Purchase Info: This was graciously provided by Jim Beam for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $22.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.53

Details: Non-chill filtered. Non-carbon filtered. Bottled in Bond. 50% ABV.

Nose: Nutty with notes of caramel and mint/menthol.

Mouth: Warm in the mouth with notes of cinnamon candies, oak, and roasted peanuts.

Finish: On the shorter side of medium length. Peanut butter, milk chocolate, and oak.

Thoughts: When I am relaxing, I usually drink bourbon out of an old-fashioned glass. I had my initial pour in one of these glasses, it was delicious. To me, this bourbon doesn't fare as well in a Glencairn glass. But that's ok, I hate drinking out of a Glencairn. I'm upgrading this to a like.

I asked the PR guy and he assured me that this is the same juice that they sell at the gift shop, just now more widely available. I guess it just goes to show that our palates are constantly evolving. Two and a half years ago, I was just starting to like grain-forward bourbons. But as I tried more of them (everything from some of the Willett brands to Beam to a lot of the more inexpensive Heaven Hill stuff), I developed an affinity toward them. Sure I don’t like them nearly as much as a $100 15-year-old barrel-proof bourbon, but I totally grade on a curve. This makes a decent everyday sip when neat and a more-than-decent mixer. They recommend an Old Fashioned and I will happily concur with that.

Blog

Elijah Craig: Toasted Barrel

Maker's Mark Private Select: Rob Samuels (from Maker's Mark "Generations of Proof" Gift Set)

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Spring 2020 Edition

Four Gate Whiskey Company: Batch 7, River Kelvin Rye

Knob Creek Nine-Year-Old (2016) vs Knob Creek Nine-Year-Old (2019)

Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye, 2-year old

Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye, 3-year old

Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye, 4-year old

Dad's Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey

Old Tub Bottled in Bond: Revisited