A little background

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a product from Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Named after the founder of bourbon, Reverend Elijah Craig, this whiskey historically packed a 12 year age statement, however, that age statement was removed by Heaven Hill in an effort to have more variation between batches.

The good news is this product is still bottled at barrel proof without chill filtration. Three batches of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof are put out every year, and this particular one is the first for 2024. Taking a closer look at the name A124, the “A” denotes that it is the first batch of the year, “1” is the month that it was released in (January), and “24” signifies the year it was released in.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A124 is bottled at 119 Proof, has an age statement of 10 Years and 9 Months, and has a retail price of around $70 USD.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Burnished

Nose

Charred oak, caramel, pancake syrup, orange chocolate, pinecone, orange toffee, and a beam of cherry.

Palate

Cinnamon, burnt caramel, bitter almonds, cherry, mulling spices, brown sugar, and dry oak.

Finish

Cherry, intense cinnamon, mulling spices, and oak.

In closing

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is consistently a fantastic Bourbon release and batch A124 is no exception. The Nose is what you’d expect from an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof product, complete with oak, caramel, pancake syrup, and the classic cherry note. The palate is thick n’ rich, coating the mouth in wonderful flavors of toasted caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, and oak. The finish is long and viscous with lingering notes of cherry, cinnamon, oak, and spice.

Although not my favorite release of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, A124 is still a stand-out bourbon and an insane value at just around $70. The value of this product is insane and one I’ll never pass on.

Check out how A124 stacks up against other Elijah Craig Barrel Proof releases.

NOTE: The sample used for this review was provided at no cost courtesy of Heaven Hill Distillery. We thank them for the sample and for allowing us to review it with no strings attached.