Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (700ml)

Heaven Hill's latest innovation, Toasted Barrel is created using the brand's base model, Elijah Craig Small Batch as a starting point. Derived from a 78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley and 10% Rye mash bill, the whiskey gets its sweet, unique taste from a finishing process that's rarely encountered in American distilling. The company explains, "The process begins with fully matured Small Batch, which is dumped and then re-entered at barrel proof into a second, custom toasted new oak barrel designed in partnership with Independent Stave Company. Made with 18-month air dried oak, the finishing barrel is first toasted and then flash-charred using a moderate toast temperature and toast time. An extensive research and development process resulted in a final barrel toast profile bringing forward dark sugar flavors within the wood to create a balance of smokiness and sweetness after months of finishing.” The end product tastes quite different to the distillery's core lines. 47% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... Initially reticent on the nose, with time this reveals gooey caramel, pralines, Hershey's milk chocolate, and a touch of charred mint leaves. It's chewy and occasionally sharp on the palate, with oodles of roasted nuts, polished oak, mint, peppery spice, dark chocolate, licorice, tobacco ash, and char. The medium-length finish holds tingling white pepper, unsweetened chocolate, and more polished oak. 88 points - whiskyadvocate.com

...Elijah Craig’s finishing process results in a sweeter, spicier, and admittedly more tannic end product than Michter’s and the Brown-Forman products. Importantly, this finishing process maintains the “straight bourbon” class and type designation, as new charred barrels are used for both the original aging and secondary finishing process (though they are so lightly charred they are referred to as “toasted”)....With Small Batch Elijah Craig typically having an age of 9 years or more, adding secondary aging in a new toasted oak barrel is no small feat. Moreover, this not-so-common technique adds a layer of dimension to the base bourbon. So while it's certainly premium price territory, it’s in line with other major brands that have gone through the additional work required to rebarrel a bourbon in a second new barrel. - breakingbourbon.com