Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 2017 Comparison Review: A117, B517 and C917

One of the most frequent questions I hear in the bourbon community starts with “Which one is better…?” It’s something most people ask when faced with any sort of situation when there are multiple versions of something. Bourbon is no exception.

The reason why I’m going to do comparisons of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batches is because it’s one of the most obtainable, allocated bottles of bourbon out there. Heaven Hill dialed in the profile for a sweet, oaky and mature 12-year-old bourbon and gave it a very reasonable price. No wonder enthusiasts love it.

Ever since Heaven Hill created a standardized labeling system for batches in 2017, enthusiasts have had a quick and easy way to identify when it was made. This has made discussing our opinions about batches easy to comprehend rather than by looking up proofs on the internet to remember which batch we’re talking about.

Comparing all 2017 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batches

I’m just one person in a sea of opinions, but here are my takes (and rankings) on the three separate Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon releases from 2017. Let’s get started. I sampled each of these blind, neat and in a glencairn but put them in release order for a more concise and formatted feel. I’ll do a summary of why I ranked them the way I did at the bottom.

Tasting Notes and Ratings

A117

Nose: The nose is dominated by oak, vanilla and caramel. I’m getting some chocolate sauce and Halloween candy corn followed by almond butter, nutmeg and marshmallow fluff.

Palate: Each sip delivers a heavy oak taste that never gets bitter. Other tannins include tobacco leaf and barrel char. Spice notes are represented by peppercorn, oak spice and cinnamon stick. Sweet flavors come by way of caramel, vanilla and some cherry flavors. The classic Heaven Hill nutty note is present, too.

Finish: The finish is a two-headed beast with soft and sweet notes of vanilla and caramel facing off against more aggressive lingering flavors like barrel char, prickly spice, dark chocolate and lots of oak.

Score: 8.1/10

Final Thoughts: A classic ECBP in terms of flavors and intensity. No flaws but it could use a little more variety (like fruit).

B517

Nose: Dark caramel, intense vanilla and some peanut shells are the first scents that hit my nostrils. The tannins are perfect and not overbearing. Wet tobacco, seasoned oak and a hint of charred wood give this nose a deep and inviting scent. There’s also some melted chocolate and a hint of gingerbread if you keep smelling the glass. It’s all perfectly balanced for such a high proof.

Palate: Sweet caramel, semi-sweet chocolate chips and a bit of nutty toffee give the palate a sweet candy bar impression. There’s lots of toasted and seasoned oak flavors as well as a tiny bit of butterscotch. I even detect a bit of toasted orange peel. Not much in the way of fruit, but that’s not what Elijah Craig’s are usually known for.

Finish: The oak actually softens up on the finish instead of intensifies. This leaves room for some bitter chocolate and caramel to take a larger roll. Cinnamon and some rye spices interact to give your tongue a bit of a lingering afterburn, but it’s nothing a novice whiskey drinker should squirm at.

Score: 8.3/10

Final Thoughts: One of the more complex ECBPs I’ve ever had. This was oozing with richness and was fun to explore. I still come back to this one years later and feel impressed.

C917

Nose: Very deep seasoned oak couples with pipe tobacco to give it all of the mature vibes. Pungent caramel mixes with vanilla extract, nougat and the outside of a toasted marshmallow. Also, there are some scents of roasted peanuts.

Palate: The mouthfeel is thick with creamy peanut butter and vanilla swirl fudge. There’s also some some semi-sweet chocolate flavors that pair nicely with the oak barrel char and tobacco. Sweetness also comes from a flavor that’s close to Golden Grahams cereal.

Finish: A heavy, sweet layer of oak leaves a delicious taste on my tongue. It’s followed by a a mixture of dessert notes like heavy whipping cream and Nilla Wafers.

Score: 8/10

Final Thoughts: Delicious and dripping with lots of dessert flavors. The only downside (if you can call it that), is that the lack of fruit notes and spice.

And the winner is… Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B517!

It’s no wonder that B517 won Whiskey Advocate’s “Whiskey of the Year” competition in 2017. While many people argue that the previous batches that came in the squat bottles were superior, there is no denying how rich and complex B517 was once you taste it.

A117 deserves honorable mention due to its outstanding lineup of flavors and scents. I think that Heaven Hill always puts its best foot forward whenever a new product is getting launched. But many enthusiasts may have been confused as to what they were getting into with the new bottle shape and label and the reception for the inaugural batch was not as strong. Still, it was a fantastic batch to experience.

C917 is no slouch either, but it’s not as complex as the other 2. I enjoyed it nonetheless, but when you’re up against the Whiskey of the Year, it’s easy to get overshadowed.