Review #735 - Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920

Elijah Craig bourbon is made using a mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, which makes this a 'low rye' bourbon. Heaven Hill produces 3 of these barrel proof versions of Elijah Craig each year; here we have a past batch from 2020, specifically Batch C920. This is from back when the batches had a standard statement, a minimum of 12 years of maturation.

This batch is generally highly regarded among enthusiasts, although there is some discourse about where it ranks in the past 5 or 10 years of releases. Because this is an older release, the secondary market is now the only place to get a bottle of this bourbon; the fact that it's well-liked shows in the secondary prices, which are hovering at just about double the original MSRP.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920

USA - Bourbon

MSRP: USD 65 (2020)

Available Price: USD 135 (2025, based on recent auction results)

Age Statement: 12 Years

Strength: 66.4% ABV

Details: Not chill filtered; batch C920

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle at 70% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Leathery and oaky, a bit of wood spice, then hints of red fruit and some orange peel. There's a soft dusty side to the oak, and we get some nice vanilla and molasses; time brings more herbal rye notes.

Palate: Old and oaky - shows its age well. The mouthfeel is medium-thick with nice texture, and we get a mix of spice and sweet flavors: anise and licorice, drying tannins, balanced by dark cherry and dark brown sugar. Leathery notes build over time.

Finish: Wood tannins, orange peel, and some wood smoke bring a sharper, dry side. We also get some tobacco and a bit of dry pecan nut; slowly, hints of dark brown sugar add a subtle sweetness.

Final Note: This is an excellent batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, very close to the top of our rankings of ECBP; we would place it right around the same level as Batch C923, and just behind the old Pirate Bottle batches. The older oak notes show on the nose and in the finish, and texture is great; lots of woody flavors, tobacco, balanced by those dark fruits, nuts, and brown sugar. Good balance overall, maybe leaning a little bit toward the dry side of the spectrum, and nice complexity.

Value at the suggested retail price for Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is excellent, but these days, the secondary price drops that value down a bit. Actually, it's still decent value at $100+ because this is such a good batch; we think it could be worth it to pick up one of these older bottles for their superior flavor.

Our Rating: 8.5 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating (MSRP): 8.46

Value Rating (Available Price): 6.63

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.