Heaven Hill markets Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel by asking, “Ready to experience some of the oldest Bourbon barrels in Kentucky?” Elijah Craig 18 Year and Elijah Craig 23 Year remain the stewards of high aged bourbon. With yearly releases, no other brands match Heaven Hill’s track record of continually releasing high aged bourbon. At one time Heaven Hill released 20, 21, and 22 year single barrel variants, but at the time of this review, they have been discontinued.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Warming and deliciously rich, Elijah Craig 18 Year starts off incredibly strong. Orange, chocolate, toasted oak, honey, vanilla, and custard form an aroma that leaps from the glass. Its sweetness is perfectly tempered against hearty oak notes creating an amazingly balanced nose.
Palate: Equal amounts of vanilla and oak form the palate’s foundation, with light brown sugar, caramel, and a fruit salad-like pop of sweetness joining in. The oak remains throughout, but is kept in check thanks to the palate’s fruitier side. The result is a very likable medium-bodied palate that is a crowd-pleaser at heart.
Finish: Heavy oak pulls forward during the finish and quickly overtakes many of the palate’s fruitier flavors. There’s a dankness that lingers, and while it’s not overpowering, it is quite noticeable. It doesn’t completely derail the finish, but takes an excellent bourbon down a notch.
Uncovering the identities and roles of these laborers, how they contributed to the birth of the Bourbon industry and the legacy their families left is a critical mission of our brand today. Elijah Craig is actively engaged in academic research with the University of Kentucky's Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies and Central Kentucky Slavery Initiative, as well as other initiatives, to not only share a more transparent and inclusive account of our past, but to also make America today a more just and equitable country.
