{"product_id":"elijah-craig-21-year-barrel-27-10-30-90","title":"Elijah Craig 21 Year Barrel #27 10\/30\/90","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElijah Craig 21 Year Single Barrel Barrel #27. Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky — Distilled October 30, 1990. A vintage single barrel from Heaven Hill's most age-forward Elijah Craig program, this specific barrel represents over three decades from its distillation date and 21 years of Kentucky aging — one of the oldest specific-date Elijah Craig single barrels in the Wooden Cork collection.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOctober 30, 1990 at Heaven Hill's Bardstown distillery — a specific autumn distillation day, the new make spirit filled into Barrel #27 and placed in the rick house as the year's final heat cycling gave way to winter contraction. An autumn-filled barrel enters its first winter within weeks of distillation, experiencing the contraction cycle before the following summer's expansion — a slightly different first-year aging profile than spring or summer-filled barrels. Over 21 years, that initial difference compounds through 84 seasonal cycles to produce the specific character Barrel #27 developed by the time it was pulled for bottling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 1990 distillation cohort in the Wooden Cork collection also includes the two 20-year barrels from March 19, 1991 (Barrel #27 and Barrel #16) — the collective representation of Elijah Craig production from that early 1990s era, preserved in individual barrels and available at a single retailer. The 21yr Barrel #27 (10\/30\/90) is the oldest distillation date in this collection and one of the oldest specific-date single barrels available anywhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e Caramel, vanilla, and aged oak with the warm spice and dried fruit that 21 years of Heaven Hill rick house aging produces. The October 1990 distillation date creates a character shaped by three full decades of seasonal cycling — extraordinary depth and integration.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Complex and lingering with deep oak integration, warm spice, leather, caramel, and dried fruit in layers. The 21-year age produces the sweet spot between maximum complexity and retained grain identity — Heaven Hill's high-rye mash bill still recognizable beneath the decades of oak development.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Smooth and long with the characteristic fully-developed close of ultra-aged single barrel bourbon. Caramel, leather, and oak spice persist in a finish that rewards patience and attention.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecs\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDistillery:\u003c\/strong\u003e Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBarrel Number:\u003c\/strong\u003e #27\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDistilled:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 30, 1990\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAge:\u003c\/strong\u003e 21 years\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eStyle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Vintage Single Barrel\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eMash Bill:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrowse our full selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/woodencork.com\/collections\/whiskey\"\u003ebourbon and whiskey at Wooden Cork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHow does this differ from the 21 Year Single Barrel general release?\u003c\/strong\u003e The general 21 Year Single Barrel release does not carry a specific distillation date or barrel number — it is a named-age single barrel without vintage documentation. This bottle is Barrel #27, distilled October 30, 1990 — a specific barrel, a specific day, a specific and fully traceable provenance that the general release does not provide.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWhat makes the October 1990 distillation date significant?\u003c\/strong\u003e It is the oldest specific distillation date in the Wooden Cork EC vintage barrel collection, predating the March 1991 barrels (#27 and #16) by over four months. At more than 30 years from distillation, this is among the oldest specifically documented Elijah Craig single barrels available at any retailer.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHow does 21 years compare to other age statements in the EC range?\u003c\/strong\u003e The 18 Year is the entry point to ultra-aged EC. The 21 Year sits between the 18 and 23 Year — more complex and oak-integrated than the 18, with more grain identity remaining than the 23 Year at its outer edge. Often considered the sweet spot in the range.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How does this differ from the 21 Year Single Barrel general release?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The general 21 Year does not carry a specific distillation date. This bottle is Barrel #27, distilled October 30, 1990 — a specific barrel with a specific and fully traceable provenance.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What makes the October 1990 distillation date significant?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It is the oldest specific distillation date in the Wooden Cork EC vintage barrel collection — over 30 years from distillation, among the oldest specifically documented Elijah Craig single barrels available at any retailer.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How does 21 years compare to other age statements in the EC range?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"More complex than the 18 Year, more grain identity remaining than the 23 Year. Many consider it the sweet spot — maximum complexity without pushing to the outer edge of Kentucky aging.\"}}]}\u003c\/script\u003e","brand":"Elijah Craig","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42900773339207,"sku":"Scott","price":1499.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/0640\/2375\/files\/elijah-craig-21-year-barrel-27-10-30-90-bourbon-726_7eaff3d5-d3f8-421b-8a90-e07b531b65a5.webp?v=1782402066","url":"https:\/\/bourbonnest.com\/products\/elijah-craig-21-year-barrel-27-10-30-90","provider":"Bourbon Nest","version":"1.0","type":"link"}