RaggedReview [In Depth]
Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Bourbon
by: ALEX WANG
Founder, writer
Founder, writer
Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Details
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Type & Region: Bourbon, Kentucky, USA
Alcohol: 45%
Composition: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% barley
Aged: At least 18 years
Color: 1.5/2.0 on the color scale (auburn, polished mahogany)
Price: $180+
From the company website:
Bottled solely from the contents of one expertly chosen barrel, this expression of Elijah Craig is the pinnacle of Bourbon craftsmanship. Bold, robust, and incredibly complex, 18-Year-Old presents a rare and unique opportunity to sip some of the oldest Bourbon in Kentucky.Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Bourbon overview
Oooooh, extra-aged Heaven Hill bourbon. Here’s the obvious stuff, Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel is a…well…at least 18 year old bourbon that comes from a single cask. 18 years is just the minimum age, so it’s entirely possible that it’s 19 years old, 20 years old, or even older. That’s likely not the case, but it’s possible given the limited supply of barrels that old.
This is one of Heaven Hill’s oldest bourbons, alongside Elijah Craig 20-something (I think they might still release either a 21 or 23 year version every few years), Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17 Year, and some older William Heavenhill and Old Fitzgerald releases. Now that I think about it, I didn’t realize that Heaven Hill had old bourbon under so many various labels…although there still isn’t much of it so good luck obtaining any of it.
This single barrel is barrel 6409 and was bottled 8/1/2023. This means that the bourbon was put into barrels no earlier than July 2005. I was in high school at the time, which puts into context just how long 18 years is…which is long. Taking a moment to think about it, I’m actually dumbfounded by that thought. A lot has happened in my life in 18 years while the bourbon rested and slow baked in Kentucky. It’s kind of a miracle that we have bourbon this old at all.
To be fair, bourbon this old is pretty expensive and hard to get. At least in 2024, MSRP is around $180, but it’s often marked up to more like $250 at this point. I was lucky enough to pay MSRP, which is also lucky in that I can afford to even do that. This is far from a value buy and regardless of the quality, one that I don’t recommend that you consider unless you are comfortable with the price.
Let’s see if older means better in this Elijah Craig 18 Year review.
As an FYI, I bought and use these Glencairn glasses for everything (they’re the best): Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass Set of 6, Set of 4, Set of 2, or just one. Full transparency, this is an affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Bourbon smell
There’s dark roasted caramel, dense + dark + roasty + fragrant oak, dense dried cherry and red apple, dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, some dry nuttiness and wood varnish, and then brighter orange peel and licorice.
Elijah Craig 18 Year is very dark and roasty, but also in a way that adds a lot of definition to everything. I guess the term used in wine for this is “structure”. And for 45% ABV, it’s surprisingly rich and expressive. There’s none of the lower ABV thinness and flabbiness.
After swirling and rest, I smell a mix of dark caramel and maple syrup, chocolate fudge, vanilla, fragrant roasted oak, dark cinnamon, heavily dried cherry and red apple peel, roasted coffee, vanilla creamer, and some herbal fennel and varnish.
The balance has shifted a little bit more towards sweetness and fruitiness, which I appreciate. It’s still very oaky, but it’s not domineering. If anything, it’s become even more nuanced and varied and it smells so good.
As expected, Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel is an oak-forward bourbon that isn’t dominated by it. There’s still plenty of sweetness and fruitiness for balance. The range and complexity are there, and the richness actually isn’t bad either.
My main critique, apart from this not being 50+% ABV, is that I’d love for there to be more fruitiness. Oak is a given for a bourbon this old, but next-level fruitiness is not. That elevated level of fruitiness can be done in bourbon this old, but it’s usually reserved for older stuff distilled before give or take 1996.
I’m going off on a quick tangent. Since I reviewed 1991 Wild Turkey 12 Year CGF maybe a week before this one, I can’t help but do an unfair comparison. Elijah Craig’s oak is noticeably harsher and more brittle…at least in comparison to the CGF. CGF has an amazing roundness, expansiveness, and depth that’s just really hard to replicate these days. It is what it is, and I’m even lucky enough to have the knowledge to make that comparison.
Regardless, Elijah Craig 18 Year smells amazing.
Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Bourbon taste and aftertaste
I taste roasted caramel, vanilla, roasted oak, dried apricot, cinnamon, dark chocolate, roasted coffee, licorice, red apple, orange peel, and hints of wood varnish and dry grassiness. Elijah Craig 18 Year is undoubtedly oak-forward, but also surprisingly balanced with enough sweetness and fruitiness (moreso sweetness than fruitiness) so the oak doesn’t steamroll it.
There’s a nice back and forth between the sweetness, fruitiness, and oakiness that makes it feel complex; and it also feels fuller and richer than 45% ABV would suggest. I could be convinced that this was 52% ABV.
This tastes great, although I recognize that the oakiness would wear me out after a glass. I’ve gotten to a point where I appreciate oaky bourbon, but it’s not necessarily something that I want in abundance.
With “chewing” I taste caramel, maple syrup, vanilla cream, roasted oak, dried red apple peel and cherry, cinnamon, and dark chocolate with lighter orange, fennel, roasted coffee, and dry nuttiness. The agitation brings out more sweet and fruity pop that keeps up with the still abundant oak.
Elijah Craig 18 Year isn’t the boldest or richest bourbon, but the flavors are still expressive, have great range, definition, contrast between the darker and brighter flavors, and have solid viscosity and fullness that easily feels like 50% ABV.
The finish starts with roasted caramel, dried cherry and red apple peel, vanilla, oak, and more oak, then leaving more roasted oak, cinnamon, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and slightly burnt marshmallows. It’s very oaky for sure, but not overdone.
With “chewing” it leaves maple syrup, vanilla cream, dried red apple peel, roasted oak, dark chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, and a little bit of brighter and herbal fennel and orange peel, leaving a pleasant dark roastiness and sweetness that persists for minutes after.
So while 45% ABV may be visually disappointing, it actually feels stronger than that in terms of fullness but not heat. In terms of overall flavor, it’s not quite on par with the 17 year old Hardin’s Creeks (from Jim Beam), but it’s not so far off either.
Elijah Craig 18 Year really does taste amazing. I know that it’s a polarizing bourbon, in part because it’s single barrel, but this particular barrel is fantastic.
I’ve unfortunately lost some Glencairn’s while in transit, and that made me very sad. So, I wised up and bought this Glencairn Travel Case that comes also comes with 2 glasses so I don’t need to worry so much about them breaking. I think it’s great, and I think you’ll love it too.
Seriously, if you already have glasses, protect them.
Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Bourbon Rating
Even for a really expensive bourbon, Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel exceeded my expectations. While it’s not quite “Top Shelf+” (but not far off it), I can appreciate the experience that it offers, even if it’s a meh to bad value. You pay for the age…and you pay a lot for it. I also think that I got lucky with one of the better barrels of Elijah Craig 18 Year.
Speaking of age, the 18 years in oak are not shy. That’s ok though because the age carries itself well. Obviously it’s all sorts of woody and wood-adjacent, with notes such as dark chocolate, dark sweetness, oak spices, and coffee, but it never pushes everything else aside to be unpleasant. It might occasionally teeter at the edge of being unbalanced, but it always feels interesting, complex, and fun.
The oak-forward profile is not for everyone, but this will feel familiar if you like things such as Weller 12 Year, Michter’s American Whiskey, the 14+ year old Calumet Farms, Russell’s Reserve 13 Year, or the various 17 Year Hardin’s Creek bourbons. Some Elijah Craig Barrel Proof barrel picks might be similar-ish, but I haven’t had one yet that is.
Now for a tangent. I can’t help but mentally compare this extra-aged Kentucky Bourbon to 1991 Wild Turkey 12 Year CGF. While Elijah Craig has what I would consider a comparable level of oakiness, Wild Turkey CGF is so much more round, refined, controlled, and smooth (gasp I used that term).
Single barrels are such a gamble, and duds become even more painful when they’re $180+ a bottle. Honestly, I even died a little inside even when the Henry McKenna 10 Year I bought in 2018 for under $30 was trash. Spending money on a disappointing bottle hurts, no matter how deep your pockets are.
It’s hard to say if a bottle like Elijah Craig 18 Year is worth it. I’m not even sure that my bottle was truly worth it when Hardin’s Creek 17 Years are about the same age, a little cheaper, and better.
It comes down to what you’re willing to spend. If you know what you’re potentially getting yourself into and the price is ok with you, then go for it. This is probably not your once a year splurge bottle, and that’s ok too. Ultra premium booze like this isn’t for most people, but I think that you’ll know quickly if this could be for you.
The profile (hopefully good) plus the price will help you decide what’s right for you. That said, I don’t feel the need to buy another bottle for a while.
Meet the Author: Alex
I have far too much fun writing about whiskey and singlehandedly running The Whiskey Shelf to bring you independent, honest, and useful reviews, comparisons, and more. I’m proudly Asian American and can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and some Japanese.
There are no sponsors, no media companies, and no nonsense. Support The Whiskey Shelf by Buying Me A Shot.
Shattered glass really sucks, so if you’re on the move, this Glencairn-like stainless steel snifter glass should survive your travels. Full transparency, this is an Amazon affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
BrüMate NOS’R, Double-Wall Stainless Steel Whiskey Nosing Glass – 7oz (Matte Black)
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