Elijah Craig - Toasted Barrel Finish Review

Stats

Elijah Craig - Toasted Barrel Finish

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

No Age Statement (NAS)

94 Proof

Heaven Hill Distillery

Retail Price: $50

Mash Bill: 78% Corn / 12% Malted Barley / 10% Rye

Poured Neat in a Glencairn

Color: Dark Caramel

Nose: The typical Heaven Hill sweet nose of vanilla and caramel come to the forefront. Baking spices consisting of nutmeg and cinnamon push through to a great scent of charred oak.

Palate: This is almost a dessert tray for my palate. I pick up the sweet vanilla and caramel right away but then marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate dance on my tastebuds. The toasted oak creates a feeling of sitting by the campfire and making s'mores.

Finish: Unfortunately, this came up short for me. The finish seemed to be a tad dry and slightly tannic. It was very short and didn't coat my throat the way I anticipated.

Overall: New offerings from one of my favorite distilleries really excite me. This one was no exception. The hardest thing to do is not to compare this Toasted Barrel with others on the market. This has its own identity. It stands on its own if you ask me. Aside from the short finish, the rest of this pour really holds it weight. The sweetness is very evident and is something I really do enjoy. The finishing in the Toasted Barrel works wonders on this dram and I look forward to keeping this stocked in the Library.

Library Rating: 8.2 / 10

Coppersea Distilling - Excelsior Straight Rye Review

Stats

Excelsior - Empire Rye

Straight Rye Whiskey

No Age Statement (NAS) - Aged at least 2 Years

96 Proof

Coppersea Distilling - Hudson Valley, NY

Retail Price: $45-$50

Mash Bill: 80% Raw Rye / 20% Malted Barley

Poured Neat in a Glencairn

Color: Gold

Nose: First whiff is the smell of a freshly peeled orange. I gather quite a bit of malty, light oak after a few swirls. The citrus is very prominent with each sniff.

Palate: I was fully expecting that inviting orange from the nose to come over to the palate, but truth be told, I started picking up fresh made milk chocolate pralines. Next, vanilla extract and a holiday spice which I want to call nutmeg, but it could be a touch of cinnamon.

Finish: A nice warm linger down the throat with a smoky coating.

Overall: This is the first expression I've tried from Coppersea Distilling. The word "Excelsior" means "Ever Upwards" and is actually the New York state motto. This pour matches this motto. The nose and palate keep moving "upwards" when sipped. So many more flavors come to the forefront with each taste. This is a unique flavor profile and one I certainly wasn't expecting from a Rye. I'd love to see what a little more time in a barrel would do to this already delightful dram.

Library Rating: 7.3 / 10

I'd like to thank Breanna and the folks at Coppersea for providing this bottle for my unbiased review.

Giddy-Up!

Ever since I started sipping whiskey, I've always been drawn to beautiful bottle designs. Marketing plays a huge role in sales for so many companies and I will admit, I was completely drawn in to the gorgeous design of Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon. From the round design to the horse stopper resting on top of the cork, these bottles just scream elegance. The juice inside is delicious as well. As I started collecting and drinking Blanton's more and more, I began researching all the different expressions they had to offer. Most were only found in Europe, Japan and Duty Free shops around the world. Slowly, I began to locate bottles. The first bunch came via an auction based in the UK. I think I won around 13 bottles. These ranged from Gold, Green and of course the regular Single Barrel. This wasn't very cost effective as the shipping and the auction fees almost totaled the retail price of each bottle. I later found another online site that had much better prices and best of all, I didn't have to bid against anyone. Shipping was a breeze, so I continued to use this service. Fast forward to current, and approximately 45 bottles later, I'm now sipping on one of my favorites, the Straight From The Barrel. The addition of many of these bottles made it easy for me to trade for other bottles to help build the rest of my collection, so clearly I'm not the only one who feels this way about the horsey.