Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Barrel Proof

This bottle I purchased privately from a friend, then opened it when I conducted a professional tasting earlier in the fall. This batch was released in September 2017, directly following B517.

The colour is a dark copper, a hair darker than B517. On the nose it's a bit floral with rosewater, a slight touch of mint, butterscotch and wildflower honey. Brazil nut. Leathery and extremely earthy. Vanilla pods. Marzipan. Water somehow makes it a bit mustier. Powerful yet elegant.

On the palate, quite hot and mouthdrying with tobacco, lots of cinnamon and clove. Fruity with blackberry and dark cherry. Lots of vanilla too. The spice does not dominate - here it's all about the fruit and oak. Water brings an interesting sourdough element. Stunning.

The finish is all oak and cloves, but with a slight balsamic note. Incredible stuff, to be sure, but how does it compare to the previous batch? C is more floral on the nose; a bit hotter and also fruitier on the palate; but B is oakier on the finish. Is one better than the other? Maybe B by a millimetre but who cares? If you're interested, Jim Murray scores C917 a 95.

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