Bourbon Review: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B523 + Age Statement Rant
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- Опубліковано 10 тра 2023
- Skip Rant: 10:05
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"if watching this channel, you probably spend way too much on bourbon" -guilty
I live in bardstown and do a lot of photography for the distilleries here. Out of my 9 quality bottles, I’ve bought only one. Lol
But the guilty $ part is coming 😂
I definitely buy way more than I drink. It’s nice having a selection depending on how I feel for the day
Does it even stop? Tell me it stops.
@@mistermatsudaas long as you’re drinking then, it doesn’t and shouldn’t.
@@mrpapinchock you're correct. I feel better now.
Yes, I definitely pay attention to the age statement if available.
Good call on the pepper! I think it's a bit cayenne and white peppercorn. Similar to NOLA Cajon spice. Love it.... Reminds me of Justin Wilson..... mo peppa!🌶
Age statements matter Fred. More time in the barrel matters. ECBP wanting to get out of the "box" they have been in IMO is a good thing. Like Booker's. You get a year and some months. You hope they pulled it at "that time" because it was what they were looking for!!! I wish MM would do age statements! I'd buy all day long!
Yes I heard about that back then and when I did in 2009 and 2010 I bought some cases of 12-year small batch and single barrel they're worth over $500 a bottle now
Interesting rant. I appreciate that they are still giving an age stamp. Yes, less than 12, but it is clearly indicated, right on the bottle. For me, that is what matters. 4 years? Sure, but tell me it is 4 years. Thanks for your thoughts, cheers!
I just saw an ECBP store pick, that was eight years old. $75. New Jersey.
My rant?! The 12 year age statement is a big part of what makes ECBP such a great value. When the age drops, the price should drop. If it doesn’t, we should give them the Bud Light treatment!
Age definitely matters. Especially anything over 50 bucks should have an age statement
When I was putting pappy's away no one wanted them they sat there on the shelf until the next shipment came through it was so funny but yet so delicious I hated the day when the allocations came but loved it with what I have put away
I miss seeing your Ascots.
I don't think the age statement matters as much as people are saying. I don't know what else is in the batch, so there's no way for me to say "its a younger whiskey." Found North batch 5 is age stated at 8 years, but 73% of it is 21 years old. All I really care about is flavor and experience. People pay more for 2XO, and there's no information on those bottles. Thanks for the rant and review! 🥃
My favorite ECBP so far
You could see that coming with all the 9 year store picks
I get much more irritated when a company talks about heritage and craft statements in their advertising. Then I look on the bottle and it says Distilled in Indiana.
Age statement matters when someone has purchased a product of a specific age and and value, then the distillery jacks the price and lowers the age.
The age statement gives me an idea of a flavor profile I may expect, although it doesn't guarantee it.
Win win for them. Younger and cheaper We are talking about it more. And it separates it from the A123. Still gonna buy it. And compare it.
I love age statements and every detail they can throw on a bottle. If they can break down all the ages in a blend and percentage of each, the happier I am!
I concur, percentages would be very helpful and meaningful.
When they stop selling Evan Williams vintage local stores start selling it at four times the price. It was the same juice
Yes....... I do like a age statement on bourbon.
Transparency matters. And yes I want to know how old the whiskey is. I am more likely to buy a bottle that tells me it’s 3 years old rather than NAS. Even better if we are told the percent break down of the different whiskey ages in the batch.
You brought back memories of a classmate in kindergarten who “threw-up” spaghettios while in line after lunch🤮
Taste matters!! Age is subjective!
Yes on age. Further, if age didn't often and frequently add to the flavor of the bourbon, then distillers have been wrong since bourbon has been made.
If there is no age statement I hope distilleries do what bardstown does and list everything out on the bottle
Age before beauty! 🥃
Age statements absolutely matter. Needed, to compare how the flavors and mouth feel are influenced with different brands of the same age.
It depends on what I am looking to drink and what flavors I want to get in my juice
I only stick around for the rants.
comparison to Larceny A123?
"skip rant" time stamp. epic.
I down in Kentucky got a y123 12 year Elijah Craig it was a very rare release absolutely delicious it was in the bourbon experience fill your own bottle I wonder if they made that for the experience?? It was 132 proof
I’ve heard that possibly they had some barrels that were getting worse as they got older, so they released this lower age statement. I also heard that the next release is supposed to be a 13 year age statement. I don’t know how true that is
I like age statements. I.e. new riff. They put it all on there I like that
Age statements matter to me, but usually isn't a deal breaker. All things being--or appearing--equal, I'd go with the older age statement
The A123 was DamnTastic!
I love age statements. I like ro know all of the finer details of what I am drinking
Age is nice but taste is most important
If a distiller drops age statement, I wish they would do the bardstown method and tell us what % of each age is going in to that bottle. Just be transparent.
The way I see it, age statement doesn't necessarily matter, but it provides context. A high age statement justifies a higher price since the distillery sat on that product for X amount of years, and therefore need to recoup some of that expense. Dropping age statements shouldn't matter if the flavor doesn't change. I think what people fear is that when a 9yr age statement goes away, the product will change considerably because we all assume younger whiskey will be going into the product.
If the price is in the tripple digits, it better have an age on it. I want to know why they think they are worth that.
Age statements matters to me!
Rant on bathos ! 👊🏽🥃
11 year, 5 months? Oh noooo!!! What WILL we all do??? LOL!
still trying to wrap my head around why anyone would drink Woodinville,, (unless they are getting paid to promote it)
I'm not happy about this latest development. I fear that it's a bad sign of things to come unfortunately.
Age statements definitely make a difference to me.
Age statement 100% matters
Yes it matters!
Yes. Age statements matter to me.
While I love stats and the more that can be provided the better for consumer confidence, I will make the argument that it may skew your opinion unnecessarily. Our local group had this discussion with 2XO, some recent Old Carter Releases and I think back to Peerless or Chatt with younger age statements. I like to initially push aside from price arguments (which is subjective to each enthusiast) and judge the spirit on the overall experience. Open mind is helpful to expand the palate.
I expect to pay a little more for greater age product
Yes, age statements matter!
Age statements definitely matter. I am no expert so I use age statements along with other parameters to find new bourbons I may like.
Age statements certainly matter. However, more transparency would matter even more to those who care. ECBP is "dropping" the 12 year statement while JD is adding a 10 and a 12 yr age statement. If age didn't matter would a product the style of JD be starting age statements? I for one am very excited for the 12yr JD, but I also enjoy batched nas whiskeys. So the transparency that there are 11yr5mo whiskeys in the new ECBP is more important for the line than sticking to the original age statement. I recently had a ECPBBP that was only 8yr and surprisingly woody and tannic.
I love when brands put in the ages (and percentages) of barrels in the blend/batch. The minimum age is helpful, but I prefer full transparency. Frustrates me that it isn't more the standard.
🎉Remove the age statement - taste is all that matters 🎉.
😅Then they can remove where it’s distilled - because taste is all that matters 😅.
😮Why include where its bottled - taste is all that matters 😮.
Companies exist these days to make money. Laws can change and do. The consumer is responsible to hold companies accountable when companies try to find ways to cheapen production.
I’m not a whiskey snob, but I still can tell a youthful bourbon from one with some decent age.
I appreciate your rant.
Go Pokes!! Age statements do matter to me. It's one of the ways I evaluate value.
You should understand what you're paying for. Ultimately, taste is most important but lack of transparency would likely prompt me to buy something else
I would rather have age than anything over 110 proof
I only care about age statements when distilleries try to pass their product off as older than it is and turn and burn for a premium price.
That said, age isn’t always the biggest deal given that Chattanooga puts out solid whiskey and it’s just over 2 years.
Unfortunately we ,the consumers, have a large hand in this trend.
Heaven Hill could have been the anti Buffalo Trace. Done everything right when BT failed the people that made BT what it is. Instead, HH replicated them.
This comment should be pinned.
Knob Creek for the win!
The problem is, people reach for the buffalo trace
@@JamesFarleyMovetoTennessee that sweeter profile is an accessible gateway for many people. And the hype train doesn't help.
BT fan boys are hilarious, and that's veteran drinkers as well as newbies.
Age helps when determining if the price seems reasonable vs something else on the shelf. Taste is always the most important. But, that transparency is nice to have and I like being able to compare different ages and proof points and see if I get some tasting notes that might be more age driven, proof driven, and maybe not just connected to one distillery but the time in the barrel.
Age statements matter to me yes, but taste matters even more.
RAGNAR is awesome!
The product quality means more than the age statement but that doesn’t mean dropping it all together is a good idea. If it’s ready at 11y5m then I’m ok with that.
Age is important; however....proof can be a strong factor. Generally, my "daily drinker" is 4 to 8 years old and between 90 and 100 proof. I will choose proof over age e.g. a 4 year old bottled in bond will generally win out over a 6 or 8 year old 86 proof. Obviously I'm addressing a specific slice of the bourbon offered. Just my thoughts....
I am always impressed how you can give a honest review on whiskeys and especially this one since you went on a rant in the beginning about the age statement. I thought for sure you were going to give it a lower score due to the age statement. Thank you for your reviews and I'll make sure to pick this one up when I get a chance!
Hell Yes !!!!! Age is very important. Makes a difference in the bourbon Get Real Producers
Absolutely
Yes the age does matter
Age statement matters to me if the bourbon has a renowned name and the bourbon is exceptional. If there is an age statement and the bourbon falls short of expectations, then in my mind, the bourbon is suspect. It is the same I feel about craft bourbons not blended by the distillery from which it came from.
Does it mean anything or has any legality when the bottle doesn't have an age statement, but the website claims a certain age. Heaven Hill does it for regular elija craig and makers mark and four roses do it for many of their products
Absolutely matters. Misleading consumer if they won’t include it.
Yes
I think it matters. Taste matters more, but age statement still matters
If you're gonna charge more for old juice you better drop the price when you remove the age. Corporate greed
I feel in the current bourbon climate, age statement only means more expensive for the consumer. An age statement isn't indication of how tasty a bourbon will be. It seems that the higher the age statement the higher the price. What I care about more is flavor. If something is amazing but cheap (Early Times BiB) it's a win for everyone in the community. But if the age statement is 23 years and the bourbon sucks what's the point of the age statement, the bourbon still sucks. Anyone can make old bourbon with patients but not every distiller can make good bourbon consistently.
It matters
It only matters to me as I feel like it makes the company more credible. Is that true? Probably not, but in MY mind it does to a degree. BUT. where the rubber meets the road, the taste is KING. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Video at 5:01. I'm not chewing a statement when tasting bourbon, I'm chewing the juice. That being said, I think the age statement should tell the person purchasing the product what they're paying the premium for. It's not a secret that more of the barrel is imparted into the juice over time. I happen to be a fan of 8-12 yr bourbon, so for me it matters some. In the end though, the palate is where the decision about the bottle is made.
Is an age statement important... yes.
Does it suck that ECBP is no longer a minimum of 12yrs... yes.
But, it still has an age statement... at least they have not gone the way of Stagg Jr!
Plus, one of the best ECBP Private Barrels I've ever had was an 8yr!
So as long as they continue to put an age statement it's still an integrity dram.
There's rumor that this years C923 will be 13yr age stated!!!
great points!!!
Age doesn't make it better. It makes it more transparent to the consumer which allows them to make informed decisions on a bottle taking into account its age along with other factors. Most whiskey drinkers have a sweet spot for age that they like and if the age is stated it makes it a whole lot easier to find bottles. Not only that, but it comes down to a value issue. Older whiskey is more expensive. At least in KY, they are paying taxes on the resting barrels and the Angel's share provides less yield the older a barrel gets. If they drop an age statement it makes sense to me to also have a corresponding drop in price. (yeah right)
100% YES. Age statements matter to me and should matter to everyone. Just like Fred said in the opening that this might not be the channel for you if you don't like history and backstories. That's what bourbon is all about for me. History and backstories. And having a product with an age statement coincides with that philosophy. had to add this also: 11:05 I'm exactly Fred's age. Does anyone remember back in the 80's when kids barfed, the janitor would throw this cedar wood powder shit over it. Added to to the nasty smell. lol
Yes ..age statements matter!!!
if if it's over 9 years chances are I'm not a fan .if it's under 4 years.. chances are I'm not a fan
Elijah Craig 12 year small batch was my everyday go to bourbon. It absolutely has an impact. It just isn't as refined as it was. For that I changed my everyday bourbon, which I am not going to share here.
Glad you kept your secret.
100% if think it should have an age statement.
A lot of bad reviews on this one but I enjoy it.
I’m half and half. If I’m goi g to buy a 25 dollar bottle of cheep mixing whiskey I don’t care about age. But if I’m going to spend more than 40. I much prefer to see an age.
Hatch Chile?No way.Tequila is by far better than bourbon for that kind of food
Age statements justify price. Pure and simpleZ
Which Four Square Rum did you take a liking to and score high?
Age statement matters to me, but I also love plenty of bourbons without age statements. At the end of the day I only pay attention to age statement if I'm buying a bourbon I've never tried before. Rare Breed is one of my favorite easy to find bottles and it has no age statement. It doesn't detract from my experience. If I'm looking at a new bottle without an age statement I just put it down and look for reviews.
I have NO issue with the age statement going from 12 to 11.5. That's not a big deal and I assume they are making sure the batch tastes good. If they completely dropped the age statement from ECBP I would not buy it because I'd assume they are super cutting corners.
The strange thing - I don't look for age statements past 12-15 years very often. I love KC 15 but I find it to be inferior to KC 9 single barrel picks (possible because I like that 120 proof). A 20 year bourbon is not something I really crave - bourbon kind of peaks at 9-12 years.
yes
Age and taste important
When it comes to pulling money out of my pocket age statement is very important that's where I believe they try to trick you
Best part about this review is that I just cracked a fresh EC B523 that I acquired for $69 and I'm sipping while watching. My first pour is rather hot, and the wood note is strong but I do like it. Not very sweet and vanilla, nutmeg sounds spot on. I'm going to say for my palate, I really like this offering but I do think that at least another 7 months in the barrel would have been a good thing. Cheers Fred!
If they are shooting for about 12 years, and it hits an amazing note a few months before that, putting it back in the warehouse for 7 more months to get to that made up importance age of 12 years risks us losing what might be some amazing whiskey. If they threw 6 year whiskey in there, then ok, but I mean 11 yrs 5 months vs 12 or 12 yrs 5 months or whatever, really? Pull it when it's ready. If that's 11 years, great, if it's 13, ok. Different areas of a warehouse age at different rates. That's why distilleries have tasters. I applaud HH for their transparency. And as you noted, 11 yrs 5 months is just the youngest whiskey in there. There could be 13 year old barrels in that batch. If you want to get really serious about age statements, give us the full break down or every age and % in that batch. Give us the warehouse and location. THAT's where we need to be. I know it's a lot to ask, but it takes more than just the age of the youngest whiskey in there to matter. And I think the whiskey in the bottle proves that.