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. Each batch of Barrel Proof is bottled with a unique age statement, including the month and year of the youngest barrel from the batch. The proof also varies with each release.

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 third for 2024. Taking a closer look at the name C924, the “C” denotes that it is the third batch of the year, “9” is the month that it was released in (September), and “24” signifies the year it was released in.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C924 is bottled at 129 Proof, has an age statement of 11 Years, and has a retail price of around $70 USD.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Burnished

Nose

Vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, egg yolk, waffles, cherries, and oak.

Palate

Caramel, dark fruit, baking spice, pancake batter, and oak.

Finish

Boysenberry syrup, sweet chewy Ng tobacco, leather, caramel, cinnamon, oak, and dark fruit.

In closing

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C924 offers a straightforward and classic bourbon experience, showcasing a sweet and rich palate with notes of caramel, dark fruit, and baking spices. The medium-long finish is pleasantly bold, with lingering flavors of boysenberry syrup, tobacco, and oak. While it delivers a satisfying bourbon warmth, it lacks the complexity of previous batches and feels slightly off-profile compared to other releases. Nonetheless, the sweetness and boldness make it an enjoyable pour for those seeking a robust and flavorful bourbon.
 

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.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C924

129 Proof
8.9

Nose

8.9/10

Palate

9.0/10

Finish

9.0/10

Complexity

8.9/10

Value

8.8/10

The Good

  • Classic Bourbon Profile

The Bad

  • Could be Difficult to Find

Matthew Evans

Matthew is the founder/owner of Whiskey Consensus and lead whiskey geek for the brand. He likes his whiskey served neat at cask strength and always jumps at the chance to learn something new.

Leave a Reply