This Elijah Craig 12 years is the pre-cursor to the now NAS Elijah Craig Small Batch that adorns the shelves. This bottle is from the releases where they moved the 12 year age statement from the front of the bottle to the back. This movement towards NAS is part of a growing trend in the whisk(e)y world as a whole and represents a change in ideology and methodology in the industry.
For a long time, value has been associated with the age of the whiskey and not necessarily with the taste of the whiskey. You could slap a 30-year-old age statement on something, ask $400+ for it and that seemed ok because it was old. Taste didn’t really matter. The move to NAS means we’re now having to rely on something more etherial and elusive to determine value; our senses. Which is especially difficult to do with a product you can’t always try before you buy, but that’s a post for another time… on to the Elijah Craig 12 review!
Elijah Craig 12 Info
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye & 12% Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 47%
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: $30
Elijah Craig 12 Review
EYE
Caramel
NOSE
Dark fruit, oak, caramel, nutmeg, peanuts, pie crust and light notes of butterscotch and fresh dill.
PALATE
Oak, dark fruit, nutmeg, dark sweets, cinnamon and peanuts with light notes of vanilla and yellow cake.
FINISH
Long oak, spice, dark fruit, dark sweets and mint.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Good balance, round body and a full oily feel.
OVERALL
Elijah Craig 12 has a nice rustic and fruity aroma and standard, but tasty, flavor through and through. A great example of a solid bourbon that displays the core characteristics of bourbon. Tasting this next to the NAS version I can tell you what’s missing; an oaky backbone that’s this deep and robust. Does the NAS version have a nice oaky core? Sure, but it’s deeper, bolder and more balanced here and that’s what I love about this bourbon.
SCORE: 87/100 (B+)
Elijah Craig 12 Review - Score Breakdown
Summary
Elijah Craig 12 Years was pretty darn good
Overall
- Nose - 87
- Palate - 87
- Finish - 87
- Balance, Body & Feel - 87
Just uncovered 4 1.75s of the 12 year age stated EC in a smaller, out of the way store. Bought 2 and will probably come back for the others. Also only paid 56$ each after taxes. Nice little find.
Damn nice find indeed!
Josh,
I wish this was still available. Sadly, since it’s not, this review is now only of historical value. However, I do like the Elijah Craig Small Batch with NAS, it’s one of my favorites. I just wish I could try this 12 year old to see what it’s like, and how it was different
And so it goes :) Cheers Gary! Hope you get to try it someday!
Love reading your reviews while I’m enjoying a whiskey for the first time or anytime. Keep up the good work.
Cheers Dan, thank you! :)
Josh,
I’m a big fan of this site. I recently found my love for whiskey, bourbon in particular. I am looking for a recommendation….I like my bourbon neat and my current “go-tos” are Elijah Craig Small Batch and Evan Williams Single Barrel. Any suggestions?
Hey Joe,
Thanks and yeah I’m happy to lob a few suggestions your way. Seems like you’re big on Heaven Hill which is a “standard” bourbon so I’d branch out and try Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare next. After that maybe kick up the rye a few notches and try out Wild Turkey 101 and if you like that check out Four Roses Small Batch. Also, Henry McKenna 10 years would fit right in with what you’re drinking now.
Hope that helps, cheers!
I second Four Roses Small batch. Also, Evan Williams Bonded (white label). Delicious, rich flavor and only $14 a bottle.
Indeed. Cheers Chris!
Found a bottle of this one today at a corner liquor store – had to try and contain my excitement, it was like bumping into an old friend!
I love those moments… cheers!
This is a well observed statement that neither condemns (something one hears far too common when discussing this topic) or congratulates.
It’s these kinds of thoughts, along with your assessments of whiskeys using a palate similar to mine, that makes your site one of my first visits when trying to decide on a purchase.
Thanks so much!
Thank you Liam. Cheers!