Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C923 finally revealed – and Wow! Look at that proof!

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It’s not even September yet, but we’ve finally got a glimpse of the picture we’ve all been waiting for – our first look at Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C923 (C = Third Batch of the Year, 9 = September, 23 = 2023). I reported earlier that the age was going to be 13 years and 7 months, but I had no idea the proof was going to clock in a 133!

This is a throwback to the early days of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof when it was more the rule rather than the exception that each batch would come in over 130 proof. Below is a list of all the “new label ECBP” releases with their proof right next to it. Before this generation, the old label ECBP (commonly known as “Pirate Bottles”) had every batch in the 130’s with only one (Batch 7) with a proof of 128.0.

•  A117  127.0 proof   2017
•  B517  124.2 proof   2017
•  C917  131.0 proof   2017
•  A118  130.6 proof   2018
•  B518  133.4 proof   2018
• C918  131.4 proof   2018
• A119  135.4 proof   2019 
• B519  122.2 proof   2019
• C919  136.8 proof   2019
• A120  136.6 proof   2020
•  B520  127.2 proof   2020
•  C920  132.8 proof   2020
• A121  123.6 proof   2021
• B521  118.2 proof   2021 *CHANGE TO FRONT LABEL*
• C921  120.2 proof   2021
•  A122  120.8 proof   2022
• B522  121.0 proof   2022
• C922  124.8 proof   2022
• A123  125.6 proof   2023
• B523  124.2 proof   2023 *AGE STATEMENTS BEGIN TO FLUCTUATE*
•  C923  133.0 proof   2023

As you can see based on this list, Batch C923 ranks 5th over the last 21 batches of ECBP in terms of highest proof. What’s more significant is that we haven’t seen much deviation in terms of each batch’s proof in the last 3 years. It’s a sight for sore eyes (and sore tongues)!

As usual, my cynical take is that Heaven Hill is teasing us with not only an age statement this high, but now a proof as well. I think they’re doing this just to throw enthusiasts a bone that they still have some mojo left in their warehouses. I’m sure we’re going to see 2 batches per year with rather low proofs and decreasing age statements.

But for now, I’ll take what I can get.