Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Proof vs 10 Year Private Barrel Review

Welcome back to Your Bourbon Journey! Join Wayne and Rebecca as we dive into two fascinating, high-proof releases from Heaven Hill’s legendary Elijah Craig lineup!

With Heaven Hill seemingly shifting strategy away from their traditional batch releases (A1, B5, C9), private store picks and special single barrel selections are stepping up to fill the void. Today, we’re tasting two completely different, heavy-hitting Elijah Craig Private Barrel Proof selections to see if they deliver that classic, full-throttle flavor profile we know and love.

Which expression takes top honors—the deep, campfire-charred marshmallow notes of the Toasted Barrel Proof, or the massive Cherries Jubilee power of the 10-year Sam’s Club pick? Watch as we break down the nosing techniques, taste profiles, and value for each bottle!

👇 Join the Conversation: What is your favorite nosing technique when tasting high-proof bourbons? Have you spotted Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Proof or local single-barrel picks in your area? Let us know in the comments below!

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Elijah Craig Private Barrel Bourbon (Toasted Barrel Finish)

  • Selection Name: “Kentucky On Premise” (Barrel #7294339)
  • Details: Straight Bourbon finished in a custom toasted second cask, non-chill filtered & bottled at Cask Strength.
  • Age / Proof: 8 Years | 125 Proof (62.5% ABV)
  • Price: $100.00 (Purchased at Revival Vintage Spirits)
  • Tasting Notes: Burnt marshmallow, rich toasted oak, cinnamon spice, and warm brown sugar.

Elijah Craig Private Barrel Bourbon (America’s 250th Birthday)

  • Selection Name: “America’s 250th Birthday Indiana Barrel 2026” (Barrel #7312805)
  • Details: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2026 Special Commemorative Allocation).
  • Age / Proof: 10 Years | 132.9 Proof (66.45% ABV)
  • Price: $57.62 (An incredible Sam’s Club volume deal in Evansville, IN!)
  • Tasting Notes: Decadent cherries jubilee, rich brown sugar, vanilla, and bold barrel heat.

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

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NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

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Parker’s Heritage 16th Edition Review: An Absolute Flavor Bomb!

Happy Monday, bourbon family! Today, we are taking you back to the Caribbean for a special birthday trip story that ended in the ultimate unicorn bourbon find. While everyone else was hunting overpriced Buffalo Trace and Blanton’s “hand grenades,” we stumbled upon a massive bucket-list bottle hiding on a lower shelf in a St. Kitts liquor store: the Parker’s Heritage Collection 16th Edition (2022 Release) Double Barreled Blend.

In this video, we share the hilarious story of our strange birthday negotiation (featuring a surprise bottle of 2019 Baker’s 7!), unpack the incredible stats of this allocated masterpiece, and crack it open for an unfiltered, uncut first taste.

This 132.2 proof powerhouse is a meticulous blend of 13-year-old bourbon (double barreled in level 3 char American white oak for an extra 4 weeks) and 15-year-old bourbon using Heaven Hill’s traditional 78/10/12 mash bill. Even better, a portion of the proceeds from every single bottle helps support ALS research in honor of the legendary late Master Distiller Parker Beam.

We pour this deep, dark brown liquid into our official Heaven Hill lead crystal glasses to see if the palate lives up to the heavy, burnt-caramel nose. Does it drink like its secondary market value of $999, or did our $600 Caribbean gamble fall short? Grab a glass, hit that subscribe button, and join us on this library pour journey! 

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Parker’s Heritage Collection 16th Edition (2022 Release) – Double Barreled Blend

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Company: Heaven Hill Brands
  • Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery (Bardstown, KY / distilled at Bernheim)
  • Mash Bill: Traditional Heaven Hill Bourbon Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Age: A blend of 13-year-old (67% of the expression) and 15-year-old (33% of the expression) bourbons
  • Proof: 132.2 proof
  • SRP: $174.99 (at original release) 
  • Released: December 2022
  • Other: Uncut and non-chill filtered.
  • The 13-year-old component was pulled from floors 5–7 of Rickhouse Q and re-barreled into new American white oak barrels with a level 3 char for an additional 4 weeks before being blended with the 15-year-old component (sourced from floors 2 and 5 of Rickhouse II).
  • A portion of the proceeds from every bottle sold is donated by Heaven Hill to support ALS research and patient care in honor of the late Master Distiller Parker Beam.
  • Purchased: 02/21/26 in the Caribbean (St. Kitts)

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com

NOTE: The spirit in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

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We Tasted the Brand New Wheat Whiskeys (And One Left Us SPLIT!) 

We are breaking down two of the biggest, highly limited wheat whiskey releases of 2026: the Bernheim 20th Anniversary Edition (10 Year) from Heaven Hill and Star Hill Farm 2026 (2nd Edition) from Maker’s Mark! Fresh off our trip to Bardstown, Kentucky, we scored these rare bottles and did a fresh crack tasting to see how they stack up.

The Bernheim 20th Anniversary is a 115-proof, 10-year small-batch powerhouse with a stunning copper label that brings an unexpected “yin-and-yang” sweet and spicy punch. Meanwhile, the 116.4-proof Star Hill Farm 2026 was just crowned the “World’s Best Wheat Whisky” at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards—but its shift to hard red and hard white wheat grains delivers a completely unique, heavily malted, date-nut cookie profile that left us split!

Are these wheaters worth the hunt and the premium price tags? Watch to find out which bottle takes the crown!

If you love whiskey reviews, distillery hunts, and following along on our bourbon journey, make sure to hit that SUBSCRIBE button, drop a comment with your favorite wheater, and always drink responsibly!

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Bernheim 20th Anniversary Edition

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey
  • Company: Heaven Hill; Distillery: Bernheim Distillery (Louisville, KY)
  • Mash Bill: 51% Wheat, 37% Corn, 12% Malted Barley
  • Age: 10 Years
  • Proof: 115
  • SRP: $85
  • Released: February 2026
  • Other: Features a unique copper label depicting an entire bushel of wheat instead of a single sheaf. Highly limited, small-batch release.
  • Purchased: 05/30/26 for $99.99 at Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, Bardstown

Star Hill Farm 2026

  • Classification: American Wheat Whiskey
  • Company: Suntory Global Spirits; Distillery: Maker’s Mark
  • Mash Bill: 27% Wheat, 62% Malted Wheat, 11% Malted Barley
  • Age: 7-8 Year Blend
  • Proof: 116.4
  • SRP: $100
  • Released: April 2026 (Current 2nd Edition)
  • Other: Freshly crowned “World’s Best Wheat Whisky” at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards.
  • Purchased: 05/29/26 for $119.99 at Liquor World in Bardstown

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com

NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

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