Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B519
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B519 is a 12-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon bottled uncut at 122.2 proof (61.1% ABV) in 750mL — the second Barrel Proof release of 2019 from Heaven Hill Distillery ("B" = second release, "5" = May, "19" = 2019). Each Barrel Proof batch is a small batch of 12-year-old bourbon bottled straight from the barrel, and B519 is one of the gentler outliers of the series at "barely" 61% alcohol, showing sweeter, more approachable character than the fire-breathing 135-proof A119 that preceded it. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof: 122.2 (61.1% ABV) — 750mL, uncut and unfiltered, straight from the barrel
- Age: 12 years in charred American oak
- Release: May 2019 — the second Barrel Proof release of 2019; a sought-after vertical piece
- Distillery: Heaven Hill, Bardstown, Kentucky — the Elijah Craig line named for the Baptist minister credited with charring oak barrels
- Character: classic burly Elijah Craig — barrel char, clove, leather — with surprising brown-butter sweetness
The Softer Side of Barrel Proof
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is the whiskey that made uncut 12-year-old bourbon a cult: every batch is bottled at the proof the barrels dictated, so no two releases taste alike. B519's relatively modest 122.2 proof makes it the gentle sibling of the 2019 family — the nose is classic Elijah Craig, burly and lightly smoky with barrel char, cloves, old leather, and a whiff of incense, but the palate surprises with brown butter, butterscotch, and cinnamon sweetness before settling into milk chocolate, vanilla, menthol, and oily bronze wood. A must for Barrel Proof vertical collectors. Browse more from Elijah Craig or explore bourbon whiskey.
Tasting Notes
Nose of barrel char, cloves, old leather, and incense over a classic bourbon core; a sweet, palate-coating entry of brown butter, butterscotch, and cinnamon with clove spice; a finish of milk chocolate and vanilla giving way to menthol, rich leather, and oak — warm, complex, and long. A splash of water barely changes its complexion.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a Glencairn to meet it at full strength, or with a few drops of water to open the sweetness. At this proof it also makes a monumental Old Fashioned — one cube, no shortcuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "B519" mean?
The batch code reads B (second release of the year), 5 (May), 19 (2019) — the May 2019 Barrel Proof release.
Is Elijah Craig Barrel Proof really uncut?
Yes — it's bottled straight from the barrel with no dilution, so each batch's proof varies with the angel's share.
Is B519 collectible?
Barrel Proof batches are one-time releases, and B519's softer 122.2-proof profile makes it a distinctive piece for collectors assembling a vertical.
A gentle giant of the Barrel Proof line — order Batch B519 online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.