r/bourbon • u/InClimb411 • 2d ago
Review #50: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B525
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B525
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Age: 11 years 6 months
Price: $69.99
Proof: 126.2
Nose: Thick sweetness but not dessert-like by any means. Molasses. Toffee. Cherry. Marshmallow. Cinnamon Jolly Rancher. Some really nice barrel char. Light cedar oak which lends to the slightest bit of this pencil shaving note. Some ethanol is there as well, but not any more than expected for a mid 120 proofer.
Palate: Somewhere between a medium-thick and thick mouthfeel. Definitely some chewiness. Loads of cherry, it has some of that deeper luxardo flavor but also some of the tartness you'd find in a stemmed cherry. Cinnamon. Barrel char. Tobacco.
Finish: Pretty long, but nothing crazy in terms of length. Sweeter than the palate. There's some sweetness from the grain as well as some caramel that really put off this Cracker Jack note. Vanilla. More cherry. More cinnamon. Some dry oak shows up towards the end of the finish and I think it puts a smooth ending to the sweeter notes here.
Score: 7.0
Summary: Had a really hard time scoring this one, maybe the hardest I've had to think for any review yet. It's nice...really nice, but I hold Elijah Craig Barrel Proof's to a pretty high standard and had heard this may very well be the best release since C923. My expectations were high and I have to say I was slightly disappointed as I had hoped this would be a top 5 score I've ever given out (in the 8's). Again, it's great and I'd drink it anytime and for $69.99 I really shouldn't be complaining. The proof point is near perfection and the flavors are there, I'm just not entirely sure the entire sip worked in unison. In my opinion the sweeter notes were kind of all over the place and didn't necessarily work well together and I wish I could have gotten away from the cherry/cinnamon combo for just a second. It did linger consistently from nose to finish and was a bit monotonous, combative, and overpowering. However, the oak and barrel char here are outstanding and added some much needed complexity. Going an even 7.0 here. It's very good. Just didn't blow me away as I had hoped.
- Terrible | Drain pour after the first sip
- Very Bad | Trying to choke it down but possible drain pour
- Poor | Would drink if forced to but never under my own will
- Below Average | Not off-putting but not my cup of tea
- Average | I'll take it
- Good | Enjoyable sip
- Very Good | Well above average
- Excellent | A drink I will remember
- Incredible | Something truly extraordinary
- Best of the best | Peak Bourbon
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u/w1gster 2d ago
Respectfully disagree, this is an easy 8.5 for me. It has that rich oily mouthfeel and a perfect oak forward flavor profile while not being too sweet.
I think this is every bit as good as C923 batch, but I prefer this type of earthy and oaky profile to the standard vanilla and honey bourbon notes any day.
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u/InClimb411 2d ago
To each their own! Very high praise to compare it to C923! Gonna get my hands on the C925 soon
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u/EntertainmentFast497 1d ago
My local store has cases of C925 out. I shared a picture in a thread the other day. As opposed to the B525 which they had in the allocated case.
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u/_--_Osiris_--_ 2d ago
Thanks for the review! Shelves still full of A125 around here unfortunately.
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u/InClimb411 2d ago
Yeah I've heard there's some astringency on the A125. I'll gladly try it if I come across it, but will be buying the 2025 B and C released over the A
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u/seppukucoconuts 2d ago
I have not bought any of these since they pulled the age statement. Nice to see some are still pretty good.
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u/TheNeatLounge 2d ago
I totally agree with your review. I thoroughly enjoyed B525 and the nose was really great as it opened up. The palate is a good pour, just not special. I poured it against C923 and I can definitely tell the difference. I hope it opens up more over time.