Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B525 Review
“Barrel Proof Series”
It is October in Washington State and ECBP B525 finally has reached our area! It baffles me how a popular and relatively abundant release can take 4 – 5 months to make make it to store shelves here. I was disappointed with the first release of 2025, but I have heard good things about this release. So, grab a pour and lets work through this Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B525 review!
Series: Annual Barrel Proof series, Batch 2 of 3
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 11 years, 6 months
Proof: 126.2
Batch Designation: Small Batch
Proof Designation: Barrel Proof
Filtered Status: Non-Chill Filtered
Mash bill: 78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, 10% Rye
Barrel Char Level: 3
Barrel Entry Proof: 125
Still Type: Column Still
Distillate Source: Heaven Hill
Distillery: Elijah Craig Distillery Co. (Heaven Hill)
Company: Heaven Hill
Bottled By: Elijah Craig Distillery
Distilled/Aging Location: Bardstown, Kentucky
Master Distiller: Conor O’Driscoll
Release Date: May 2025
MSRP: $75
Secondary Market: $99 – $120
Availability: Relatively Available
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B525 Review
October 21, 2025
My tasting reviews are unique in that I include the notes of several well-known whiskey critics. The hope is that this format will help me and others to explore and expand their tasting experience. After you have taken your own tasting notes, read the reviews and see if there is a flavor note that others discerned that now you can detect as well.
For this tasting: Fresh Crack, Glencairn Glass, Neat, Room Temp, Breathe: 15 minutes
Legs
Beads began to form on the crown at 8 seconds, the legs began to form at 15 seconds, and the first legs reached the bowl at about 43 seconds.
Nose
Caramel, toffee, vanilla, oak, leather.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Bourbon Culture: The nose is classic Elijah Craig. Rich oak, chocolate, toffee and vanilla cake batter combine with other tannins like barrel char, cedar and tobacco leaf. It smells a bit older than it’s 11+ year age statement would suggest. Oh! And there’s also the occasional passing whiff of butterscotch!
Breaking Bourbon: Toasted caramel | Heavy charred oak | Toasted brown sugar | Faint vanilla | Baking spices | Leather | Classic, pleasing aroma
Bourbon Banter: Nosed from a distance, whiskey-soaked oak, caramel and cooked stone fruit. Nosed directly from the glass are sweeter notes of cotton candy and steeped pekoe tea with lemon, followed by darker aromas of charred wood and tobacco.
Palate
Caramel, brown sugar, baking spices, toffee, hint of licorice, vanilla, oak, graham cracker, anise, cinnamon, dark fruits, mild sweet cherry, leather, barrel char, cocoa.
Note: several reviewers found an orange or citrus note. I searched for it but couldn’t find it on my palate.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Bourbon Culture:: I can find lots of oak and some leather. The cinnamon spice impresses me with how quickly it stands out. I also find spices like peppercorns and chili powder which ramp up the spice level. Other flavors include a bit of chocolate, and fruits like orange zest and grilled apricot. The heat might be a little more noticeable due to the thick viscosity of the bourbon. It really clings to the inside of your cheeks! Score: 8.1/10
Bourbon, Whiskey and Rye note: I have always thought that viscosity helps mitigate the heat of the alcohol. But Bourbon Culture seems to think otherwise. What are your thoughts?
Breaking Bourbon: Sugared plum | Rye spice | Baking spices | Brown sugar | Cinnamon stick | Toasted oak | Delicious
Full of rich classic bourbon flavors, ECBP B525 is the brand’s best release in years.
Bourbon Banter: The whiskey is simultaneously rich and vibrant on the palate, aiming fruit and caramel directly at center palate while spreading appreciable weight and mouthfeel everywhere else. A second sip sets a foundation of toasted oak, citrus and sweetened tea on which flavors of toasted bread, orange marmalade and candied violets pile up.
Finish
Long finish with cocoa, baking spices, barrel char, oak.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Bourbon Culture:: Long, with a lingering flavor of oak, coffee and chocolate brownies. Vanilla hangs around for a while and blends in nicely with cherries and a tiny bit of orange zest. Spices like cinnamon, ground peppercorns and allspice provide a nice smoldering effect after the sip is complete.
Breaking Bourbon: Rye spice | Chewy charred oak | Leather | Faint caramel | Light baking spices | Gentle fading heat
Bourbon Banter: The finish is super long and nearly all warm caramel and sweetened tea until the very end when floral notes arrive. Its softness belies its 126.2 proof, and its scant tannin contradicts its 11.5 years in the barrel.
Mouthfeel
The mouthfeel is Silken and pleasant.
Mouthfeel Rating Guide: Thin = Watery | Silken = smooth & slippery, but not mouth coating | Creamy = coats the tongue like heavy cream does. | Rich or Unctuous = coats the entire palate like quality olive oil
The Burn
The burn is Low.
This means that the burn from the alcohol is a bit lower (5% to 9%) than what I would expect it to be. I would guess this to be around 115 – 120 proof, not 126.2 proof.
The Burn Rating Guide:
Very Low = it drinks like it is a much lower proof
Low = it drinks like it is a little lower proof
Average = the heat is about what I would expect
Hot = it is hotter than what I would expect
Scorching! = it drinks much hotter than what I would expect
Tasting Summary
Sweet, spicy, and savory notes hit the palate at the same time in a balanced display of flavors. Dark notes with pleasant barrel char, baking spices, caramel, toffee, a hint of licorice, vanilla, anise, cinnamon, mild sweet cherry, leather, cocoa.
My Rating – 8.5
The higher the score the better the whiskey is in my opinion. For reference, my best rated bottle so far is the George T. Stagg 2022 (138.7p) with a score of 9.7.
| Score Type | Score | Examples |
| Likability Score | 8.5 | 1.0 – 10.0 |
My Tasting Notes
A blank version of this tasting notes wheel is available in both a color and a black & white version in the member’s area.
Notes and History
I have already written about the history of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. You can read that post here.
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