🥃Review #73: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof - "You Do Bourbon" Distillery Exclusive Y625

This special edition of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is the result of my visit to the "You do Bourbon Experience" at Haven Hill's distillery campus. The tour package was about $40 and primarily consisted of a tasting of four full proof editions from Heaven Hill's lineup: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye, Bernheim Barrel Proof, and Larceny Barrel Proof. July 2025 was the first time they offered the rye and it was tasty but didn't edge our the bourbon for me. Participants assess short pours of the four options before picking one to bottle, a process in which you pull a large lever to fill the bottle to a perfectly and then apply the labels, adding your name and any custom messaging as you see fit. The "fill your own bottle" gimmick is quickly popping up at other places (Bardstown and Michter's come to mind), and I can happily say that it is quite fun.

You may know that Elijah Craig typically releases three batches for year (A, B, and C), but batch Y (for "You do Bourbon") is a smaller construct held for the distillery experiences. This is from batch Y625 meaning that it was batched in month six, June, of 2025. Y batches are small mingle blends that are typically sourced from far fewer barrels than the major public batches, often fewer than 20. Heaven Hill uses the series as a test-bed for profiles and may depart from the targeted profile of the major releases.

🛒Sourced: $79.99 at the Bardstown Heaven Hill Campus, KY - 750ml. I would note that this is above what I can find locally at well priced retail shops.

🧪Proof: 135 proof, 67.5% ABV - on the higher end for a ECBP. This shows a higher proportion of high-floor or exterior-rick barrels which experienced more water evaporation, bringing the proof up.

🎨Color: R6.5 - A lovely chestnut brown, almost milk chocolate color, heavy legs and some sediment

🥔Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley. This is the "HH Reg" mash bill that is found in most Heaven Hill bourbon products such as Evan Williams, Henry McKenna, JTS Brown, and JW Dant. It is non-chill filtered. No age statement on this Y release. Barrel entry proof is the usual 125.

👃Nose: Fat gobs of vanilla, very little sting for the proof, old oak, pastry

😜Palate: Active, thick, and heavy on the tongue, it somehow avoids being overly hot. I get predominantly vanilla that deepens into chocolate cake. There is a little bit of coco bite in the transition to the finish that is pretty interesting. Over ice or with some small amount of water added, I get much more of a chocolate chip cookie element, more sweet and rounded off. Both experiences are enjoyable and have something special to offer, another case where drinking it over ice is far from a sin.

💦Finish: Flavor duration is medium length though there is a quite enjoyable belly warmth that hangs around for what feels like days. I would describe the main sensation as snickerdoodle dusted with baking spices.

🏆 Overall: 8/10 - Excellent - I'm a huge fan of pastry stouts when it comes to beer, and this Elijah Craig Batch Y comes the closest to that experience of any non-finished bourbon I've ever tried. Based on the color, relative smoothness, and even keeled heat, I would hazard there are some relatively old barrels in the mix. The bakery flavors are well developed and dynamic, and it is a particularly highlight for me that drinking it with differing amounts of dilution does unlock a new range of flavors. While I'm not sure I'd drive six hours just to get another, this is some gosh darn good whiskey.

💵Would buy again? Absolutely. I love the batched Elijah Craig Products even if I wasn't as big a fan of some of the distiller select single barrels.

⚖️Rating Scale:

🥃 Review #40: Kirkland Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2024)

Like Costco's other Scotches, the Kirkland Signature Islay Single Malt is bottled for Alexander Murray and imported by MISA Imports after being distilled and aged in Scotland (TTB.gov plant registry TX-I-1277). The isle of Islay is one of the southern most islands in Scotland and is one of the five whisky regions ensconced in law. There are only nine active distilleries on the island, and the Islay style is typified by strong peat or smoky flavors. As a single malt, we know that the juice in this bottle comes entirely from one of those nine! All of the distilleries are significantly smaller than Glenlivet and many of the mainland producers. Taste testing has people split between Caol Illa, Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte), and Bunnahabhain as being the source. Caol Illa and Laphroig both have done deals for private brand scotch without rights to name the source distillery, but Laphroig does not match the flavor profile for this bottle. Realistically, Caol Illa is the most likely cand...

🍺 Costco's Kirkland Vintage Ale 2025 - Review & Tasting Notes

Fall is in the air, and that means we have yet another year of Kirkland's Vintage Ale! Brewed proudly by Deschutes (pronounced "Da-Shootz") in Bend, Oregon, this Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout spends nine months in the wood, picking up what the whiskey left behind (mostly vanillin and tannins). Bottled over the summer, this particular beer is from Lot B. Neither Costco nor the packaging give us much additional detail beyond the ABV and style. I remember finding last year 's edition to be solid but nothing to write home about, fairly dry but a pleasant pour. The use of the work "vintage" to me implies that some changes may be made year-to-year but we'll have to see if our taste buds can help us validate. How does the 2025 vintage fair? 💅Style: Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout 🛒Sourced: $7.99 Costco, GA for a 22oz bottle. $2 cheaper than the 2024 edition! 💥Hops: Not Mentioned sadly. Other ingredients include chocolate malt, milled oats and Dutc...

🍺 Definitive Light Beer Tier List: Meta-Analysis & Ranking

Trends come and go: Craft Beer, Hard Seltzer, Canned Cocktails, and more. In the world of beverage, the currents are constantly shifting, but one drink has an irrevocable grip on America: Light Beer. Good old beer flavored beer may take a hit from new competition, but brands like Miller Lite and Michelob Ultra constantly sit at the top of sales volume lists, even with the fall of Bud Light and rise of Modelo's Flagship. But which light beer is best? Let's find out. Methodology - Light Beer Ranking Taste preferences vary significantly between consumers, but across a large sample we should be able to get a somewhat representative picture of the populations preferences. For this ranking, we will combine data sourced from multiple beer rating sites with an internal Castle & Cairn house ranking to create an overall beer quality score. The starting population of beer brands will be those that are explicitly branded as "flagship light" or beers with less than 100 calor...

🥃 Best Bourbons at Every Price Point Guide - Updated for 2025

Bourbon, America's native spirit, offers a wide range of flavors and experiences. Bourbon hunters scour the shelves for rare or premium offerings but a rising tide lifts all ships. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or just starting your bourbon journey, there's a perfect bottle out there for you, and at a price that fits your wallet. Here's a quick guide to some of the best bourbons at various price points in 2025 that you won't have to search all over the world to find. Methodology Pricing will be for $750ml bottles of bourbon since that size the most widely available. Similarly, I am only bringing in bottles that can be readily found in the market (proxying this by using the stock from my local Total Wine for the base catalog and pricing unless noted). The best bourbon in the world isn't the best bourbon in YOUR world if you can't reasonably find it. Additionally, chosen bottles must be versatile enough to be consumed straight or neat as well as in a ...

🍺🍷🥃 Beer, Wine, and Spirits Rebate Website Master List

If there is anything I love more than a good drink, it's saving money buying that good drink! The rules for providing discounts on alcohol differ substantially between states with some allowing outright discounts or coupons and others entirely disallowing any sort of purchase incentive. Thankfully though, in my native Georgia as well as most states, a simple reimbursement approach is permissible. Alcohol Rebate Site Master List The following sites are relatively stable for each manufacturer. New offers usually come out every few months. None of these are affiliate links and I provide no assurance as to the process. I have saved so much money using rebates and hope you have similar success. Best practices and general process advice will be presented at the bottom. New sites will be added as I uncover them. Beer Rebates Boston Beer Company Brands - Angry Orchard, Dogfish head, Hard Mountain Dew, Samuel Adams, Sun Crusher, Truly, and Twisted Tea. Some brands may not have active...

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