Elijah Craig’s New Bourbon Is Rare, Flavorful, and Strong

Every year, Elijah Craig launches three unique barrel-proof whiskeys. All feature high ABVs and are packed with flavor, becoming huge draws for American whiskey lovers. 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.

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The latest addition to the triannual tradition is A124 (‘A’ signifying the first batch of the year, ‘1’ standing for its January release month, and ’24’ identifying the year of release). Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A124 bourbon comes in at 119 proof, the second lowest proof in the now 12-year-old series, only behind B521. It also features an age statement of 10 years, 9 months (which represents the youngest barrel in the batch), which is lower than the last two releases in the collection. It’s the 34th release so far.

Despite less burn and age that some associate with the best whiskeys (there’s definitely still a kick here), A124 offers the quintessential elements that have made the Elijah Craig’s Barrel Proof offerings such a hit over the years. The flavor profile is straightforward and robust, offering aromas of caramel, baking spices, and toasted oak alongside hints of graham cracker and tobacco. The palate features vanilla, cinnamon, and black pepper, while the finish is long and layered, with notes of brown sugar, baking spices, and leather.

Like the traditional Elijah Craig release, the Barrel Proof bottlings all feature mash bills of 78 percent corn, 10 percent rye, and 12 percent malted barley. The next two bottlings in the collection are expected to roll out in May and September, each featuring its own blend, proof, and flavor profile.