Whiskey of the Week: Elijah Craig 15 year old Single Barrel

Most know Elijah Craig for its batched expressions, led by the ever-popular Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (ECBP) bourbons and ryes, among other special releases. But the brand also has some single barrels that, by comparison, sometimes get lost in the shuffle. The single barrel line focuses on ultra-aging, anchored by an 18 year old bourbon that first hit the scene in the mid-1990s. Over the years, there have also been 20–23 year old single barrels, though those were produced in much more limited quantities and are harder to come by today. Heaven Hill also offers retailers single barrel Elijah Craig store picks, which are bottled under the Private Barrel banner and typically hover around 8–12 years old.

Ask any Elijah Craig fan why these single barrels aren’t more popular, and they’ll likely tell you it comes down to proof. The store picks are usually cask strength, but the official single barrels have historically been bottled at 90 proof. Make no mistake: They provide an excellent drinking experience at 45% ABV, but some drinkers believe they would be even better at higher strength. In March, Heaven Hill rolled out a new expression that cranks up the proof specifically for those drinkers.

Proofing Up

The new bourbon carries a 15-year age statement, making it the youngest release in the current single barrel lineup. Like other Elijah Craig bourbons, it has Heaven Hill’s signature mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. It’s bottled at 54% ABV (108 proof), which, according to master distiller Conor O’Driscoll, was chosen to enhance the liquid’s “natural complexity.” It also serves as a reference to May 4th, 1964, the date when Congress officially declared bourbon a product of the U.S.

From a production standpoint, turning up the strength for this single barrel release is a very logical move for Heaven Hill. The distillery’s various recipes tend to work remarkably well at higher proofs, with its barrel proof Larceny, Elijah Craig, and Bernheim Original expressions all earning high placements on our Top 20 lists over the years. (They’re also some of the most popular releases from Heaven Hill, always generating a fair bit of buzz whenever a new batch drops.) While it isn’t cask strength, the new single barrel’s recipe—the same mashbill and comparable aging profile to ECBP, which is generally bottled around 12 years old—seems well-suited for the high-proof arena.

Heaven Hill confirmed that the 15 year old will be available on an annual basis alongside the 18 year old going forward. Just a few days ago, the distillery followed up the announcement by releasing a new batch of the 18. While that new batch is still bottled at 90 proof, we hope that the introduction of the 15 year old could indicate that other high-strength single barrels could be coming down the pike.

How Does Elijah Craig 15 year old Single Barrel Bourbon Taste?

94 Points—Elijah Craig 15 year old Single Barrel Bourbon (No. 372)

ABV: 54%
SRP: $150
Availability: Nationwide

It lures you in with an aromatic nose of rich vanilla, toasted almonds, marzipan, butterscotch, Werther's Original, oak, cocktail cherries, and a tiny bit of coconut patty. The palate melds spicier flavors like cinnamon swirl ice cream, snickerdoodles, and spiced cherry preserves mingling with sweeter flavors of strawberry jam, fudge, chocolate lava cake, and vanilla pudding. The finish is explosive, practically leaping out of the glass and grabbing hold of you with cherries, blackberries, barrel spice, glove leather, more chocolate, and cacao. The flavors are balanced and excellently integrated, but it's also exceptionally well-proofed—carrying all the weight of a higher-ABV bourbon with none of the burn.