Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B521 Review + Comparison

[@rayk1411]

Great honest opinion, Cameron. Yours is one of the first YT reviews on B521. It's gonna be interesting to see how many say they love it now as they want to get on the Heaven Hill PR list. I think Minnick and Jason at M&D had similar views as you. Keep up the great work!

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Thanks a lot Ray! I know exactly what you mean.. I've just started getting media inquiries from some distilleries and I'm at a crossroads on how to approach these things. With that said, it's now becoming increasingly obvious to me which reviewers are trying to not ruffle any feathers of their media contacts with negative reviews! This one is an easily identifiable, objectively subpar whiskey, and I'm glad the first reviews are all saying essentially the same thing. Anyways, cheers!

[@codyburgess7034]

A121 was great. Here’s the problem, it came off the heels of arguably the best 2 releases in ECBP history. It holds up great and when compared to other products even +$50 a bottle it holds up. 520 and 920 were just monsters

[@blakeanderson1214]

Well said. heaven hill has just been on a tear. Creating monster bourbons

[@codyburgess7034]

@25to knife agreed

[@peadairo]

Great review Cameron, thanks for all the comparisons. What a shame EC has lost it's way in 2021but to lose it in such a big way is pretty astonishing. I compared the C920 and A121 this weekend and they're just not in the same wheelhouse. So B121 is already a pass for me, damn. Keep us the great work man. Cheers

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Appreciate it Peter! You're right, it's a bummer that ECBP is slipping so far in 2021, but let's hope that C921 will be a better batch!

[@ryanrobertson1986]

Funny I just found B521. Poured it a bit ago and opened KZbin to look for a review and there yours was. Good timing! It’s okay. Agree with what you’re saying. Should be in a different line.

[@mhardingspiderfan]

I luckily found a bottle of B520 at a WalMart last week (yes, B520, not B521). $59. My first barrel proof Elijah Craig and I feel like I hit the jackpot. I had heard a lot of great reviews about it, and I think it's delicious. Maybe if I go back in September I'll find a C920.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

That’s a great find! Stick with those other batches and walk away if you see the B521, even if you have FOMO. If you can, check out A119 and C919 if you ever get the chance

[@TheZeal04]

We actually just did a drink through with a bunch of people doing 2017-2020 ECBP with adhd whiskey and it was very heavily weighted that the last 4 releases were the best. #1 C919, #2 A120, #3 C920, #4 B520 (adhd had B517 in 4th, but overall voting it was 5th). They were on such a roll, and now they seem to have fumbled the ball a bit here in 2021.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Yeah those last 4 batches you mentioned are AMAZING, and having so many batches to compare really makes it easy to see why A121 and B521 simply aren't up to the ECBP standard (especially B521).

[@Dafoodmaster]

I actually really love b519, sadly haven't gotten my hands on the 2020 releases yet.

[@tightcutz624]

Maybe at some point in this release a assistant taster at the distillery was involved or maybe the the COVID-19 effected the noise and palate for this release 🤷‍♂️

[@kane6106]

B521 and Toasted Barrel were absolute misses this year. Not sure why so many are going nuts over the TB version, but I'm stocked up for some trades now lol.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Haha! I think TB is just "fine" at $50.. at $35-40 without allocation it would be a much more competitive pour for me.

[@jasono.1629]

I too did not like EC Toasted Barrel 2021. Many other 90-100 proof toasted barrel / double oaked bottles that taste better.

[@DougEFresh-mj1xf]

And they increased the price this year, too.

[@jeffberner6083]

Have you had b522 yet ? Thoughts ?

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Unfortunately not a fan of that one. Review will be out soon!

[@swissarmydan9354]

I agree, I like the B521 better than the A121. It’s like a tamer C920 IMO

[@tightcutz624]

This will be best for a blend for an infinity for the dark notes and add the bright notes and creaminess from other bourbons 🤷‍♂️ lol

[@blakeanderson1214]

I think it’s a good move with the lower proof. It keeps you guessing and hunting. It shouldn’t be the same every release. 3 time a year release, you need a LOT of different flavor profiles imho

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Definitely agree about altering profiles and proofs, and I like the excitement of that sort of eclecticism. Unfortunately I don't think this can be redeemed by simply offering something different.. it's just objectively a poor sip because it lacks any sort of development on the palate. And I guess some people might be into that (and that's great!), but I would say 9/10 times it will be knocked. I guess this brings up a bigger discussion of objective vs. subjective, and to some degree I used to think that everything in whiskey is subjective, but now I think we do have at least SOME objective truths about what constitutes a good whiskey. I think palate development is on that list, but who knows.. we don't have the same systems as wine somms. Sorry for ranting haha!! Cheers.

[@blakeanderson1214]

@@DrumsAndDrams no rant. And spot on. Sometimes things are just “off”. I’ll need to go ahead and pop it I guess so I can give a first hand experience and stop taking out of my butt. Hahah

[@aubsta1]

It's not popular, but I really enjoyed B521

[@DrumsAndDrams]

I'm looking forward to revisiting this one soon!

[@IndyGuy65]

Last ECBP I had was a bottle last year A120. That was 136 proof and I loved it. Like we say it lets you know you're drinking bourbon. IMO this B521 at 118 proof would be a disappointment. Good informative review.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Thanks Guy! I don't hate on low proof bourbons by any means, but when it's low proof AND so underwhelming, it's really disappointing!

[@matthewcombs9059]

Man, C920 is on another level. I wonder if this one isnt a bad batch, it's just overshadowed by past monster batches.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Unfortunately, I would say this isn't just overshadowed, but that it's (objectively) poorly blended.

[@christopherm.2413]

This is the second review where B521 was a let down. I'm picking up a Barrel Dovetail on Wednesday and passing this up.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

That's probably a good call, unfortunately!

[@larsclementson1285]

Good review. You really gave b521 a fair chance. A121 has been my least favorite batch to date. I do like the woody flavor of EC18 though so maybe b521 will be ok.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Yeah, I did my best to give it a chance! It's not really the woody flavor that's subpar.. it's the entire drinking experience unfortunately.

[@billlay4815]

I may be the oddball here but I liked A121 quite a bit. It’s been a while, I should try it again. I think I’ll pass on B521. Thanks for the review!!

[@DrumsAndDrams]

I think a lot of people liked A121 -- it just wasn't for me, maybe. But no matter what you think of A121, it puts B521 to shame. This batch is simply not up to the ECBP standard! Cheers

[@royn8032]

B520 was a hitter....I have one unopened bottle left and safeguarding it for a big celebraion someday=)....B521 is similar to the old EC12 year

[@TRob_1964]

Great review! Not a fan of Elijah Craig small batch, and sure don't want to pay $70+ for a higher-proof but over-oaked version.

[@danielmonts8334]

Hopefully they can redeem themselves with C921. They need it to be good.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Yeah.. it would be a shame for 2021 to have 3 underwhelming releases!

[@pardefarmeaurx3720]

You know when most really good superstar athletes or sports teams start getting lots of hype? Most of them start to believe the hype and relax their effort and work ethic and then fail at some point. That's what I feel has happened to Elijah Craig.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Really interesting and possibly accurate comparison. We can never know what's going on behind the scenes at Heaven Hill with the blending and batching, but it's definitely fun to speculate! The pessimist in me is completely with you on this, haha!

[@ohnowitson]

Man I don't like the direction they're heading. The proof level is going down while the price is going up. Heaven Hill's getting a little greedy and if not careful the ECBP value equation will shift to the point it just isn't special anymore. These guys need a course correction and fast.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

I'm really worried we might get a case of Booker's price hikes here with ECBP. Fingers crossed that it doesn't happen!

[@chrisdunning5481]

I thought C920 is the best. By far.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Definitely a top batch!!

[@enricojaun2880]

Bummer... a121 was let down too. Rare breed was just as good as that one and half the price.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Totally agree. Give me Rare Breed any day of the week over A121 or B521!

[@zgermanrobot]

Been drinking the B519, B520, C920 and A121. Got 3 bottles of the first 3 and luckily only 2 bottles of the A121. I just love the C920 and B520., but the A 121 is the worst Elijah Craig I have ever had. It isn't bad, but it is overpriced tasting the way it does.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

I totally agree, and the other batches you mentioned are just so damn good that it becomes really to pass up A121 and/or B521 for me

[@whiskeyriffslounge]

If u like licking a piece of wet wood. Then you should get this one. This was by far the worst I have had

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Haha!! Totally agree.

[@andrewpadyk67]

Covid must have cut the taste and smell of the master distiller.

[@877-MASH-NOW]

WHISKEY CHEERS

[@ChrisJoelSmith]

Wooo

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Hopefully they knock it out of the park with c921. Those are the ones everybody goes nuts for. If they dont go back to form, ill be getting worried. I still have faith in heaven hill but oof.

[@DrumsAndDrams]

Yeah I’m hoping it’ll be good! All of the last C batches have been incredible IMO so if this one fails, I’ll be thinking twice about continuing to hype ECBP

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Did you change the camera position? Noticed your eyes are lining up differently. Small change but one for the better. Of course i could be talking out of my ass

[@DrumsAndDrams]

In the last few videos I’ve been looking at the camera instead of my monitor, but yeah once I got back from Iowa the positioning of the camera might be ever so slightly different as well