Review #48: Elijah Craig 18yr, 45% abv, Barrel #3416

Man, this stuff disappeared fast. It was in stores last year, I think, and now it's gone. I hear it's coming back eventually (in <18yrs) but if it costs 6/7th as much as the 21yr old does/did, then it won't be joyously welcome.

If we imagine this, for a moment, as the 12yr with a bit more age on it, then it's become a little less expressive, on one hand, and somehow richer on the other: the butterscotch seems denser, and swirled with toffee and (good) caramel. The oak spices have become woodier, and corn has become roasted. Some sweet floral notes are starting to take off, too -- lilac cotton candy.

Nose: butterscotch corn pudding with cinnamon bark and lilacs. Some demerara rum notes, too.
Palate: more butterscotch and vanilla toffee. Custard. Very heavy and astringent oak
Finish: long -- sweet and very drying at the same time. It's not bitter at all, but really very astringent -- like a stemmy young Barolo if Barolo were made of corn.

I like this a lot, but it's not a huge advantage over the 12yr. There are some new flavors, but I don't think the drying oak suits them that well.

score: 84