When I was first drinking bourbon, it was really limited to only a few. I wasn’t much of a connoisseur. In full disclosure, I’d gotten pretty sick on Jack Daniels (and several other things) at the 1986 Indianapolis 500, so just the smell of sour mash made my stomach churn until nearly 30 years later when my Dad died.
Dad wasn’t much of a drinker. He always bought the cheap stuff, and even then he mixed it with a cola or clear soda. We he passed away, he left me with the bottom shelf garbage he thought was whisky. One night, I got brave I got brave and forced myself to take a sip. Then I took another. Then I put it away and went to the liquor store to get something that wasn’t quite so horrid.
As I got more interested, I started buying better hooch. In my search for new stuff, Elijah Craig was one I’d heard of, and when I told the liquor store dude what I was doing, taking pictures and stuff, he recommended it to me.
This was my review on first sip:
Trying another new one tonight… never had this one before. To the nose Elijah Craig is pretty alive, with a definite whiff of oak, pepper, leather,
hazelnut and perhaps the slightest hint of blackberries or plums. The sting of alcohol is present as well, so that first sip is going to be a small one.
Wow. That’s really nice. The flavor is complex enough and balanced, but it’s not so deeply complex as other bourbons. It may be a really nice bourbon
for steak eaters thanks to the oak, the earthiness and the slightly peppery tone. It has a moderate bloom to it, which I like. The mouth feel is nice on
this one. The slight sweetness is definitely nutty, but earthy, like a walnut.
The finish on this one will stick with you. You’ll feel it on your lips and you’ll get a slight burn in your nose when you exhale.
The oak hangs on, as does that dark fruitiness.
I like this one. It’s not a top 5 bourbon for me, but when I want to let my drink sit for awhile in the glass and take my time, this one will be one I
strongly consider.
~ KC Allen, September 26, 2019
That’s the only bottle of EJ I’ve emptied, but I’ve purchased another one and I look forward to giving it another review once my palette was matured.
🥃
Cheers