🥃 Is Elijah Craig A125 a Barrel Proof Banger or Bust? | Tortured Bourbon Review

Jul 2

Welcome to Tortured Bourbon

Pour Decisions Wednesday is basically a core personality trait here at Tortured Bourbon.

If you’re new around these parts, we’re the reckless crew that turns questionable life choices into educational bourbon tastings — complete with off-the-rails banter and a healthy dose of Kentucky hugs.

🎥 Watch the full episode here:

https://youtu.be/RLPzIM1FYkk

What Is Elijah Craig A125?

If you’re a fan of bourbon reviews, you already know the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof series is Kentucky legend.

Each batch is:

Uncut & unfiltered, straight from the barrel.
No chill filtering, no added water, just honest-to-god barrel proof.
Usually around 12 years old, though this A125 clocks in at 10 years 7 months, promising a slightly brighter, spicier profile.

The proof?

A sturdy 118 proof that’s a bit softer than some previous Elijah Craig face-melters, but still packs that warm, satisfying bourbon heat.

Mash bill?

Classic Heaven Hill: 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye.

MSRP?

Around $80, though we all know it’s probably gone before it ever really hits the shelf.

Pour Decisions Wednesday: The Breakdown

On our latest episode of Tortured Bourbon, B’s out here decoding the label for you like he’s breaking down a Rosetta Stone.

“A” is the first batch of the year.
“1” stands for January.
“25” is for 2025.

Meanwhile, Heather’s trying to figure out if this pour means she’ll even taste her dinner later.

Katie jumps in with Heaven Hill’s official tasting notes, telling us to expect:

“Caramel, toasted oak, vanilla, baking spices, and a warm, lingering finish.”

Naturally, we immediately go off-script and start finding all sorts of weird flavors ourselves — that’s just how our bourbon tastings roll.

The Live Bourbon Tasting & Review

We pop the cork, swirl it, nose it, and dive in live on camera.

Is this Elijah Craig really giving us that caramel bomb Heaven Hill promised? Or is the slightly younger age showing up with more pepper and less deep oak than usual?

Our bourbon review gets heated (and not just from the 118 proof).

We run it through our official Tortured Bourbon scale:

Piddlin – bottom tier.
Bless Your Heart – not bad.
That Dog Will Hunt – solid everyday pour.
Hush Your Mouth – fantastic.
Cock of the Walk – the top of the mountain.

So where did this Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A125 land? Let’s just say there was laughter, some playful arguing, and at least one of us may be a caramel finish apologist.

Is It Worth Hunting Down?

Short answer: Absolutely.

If you’re into bold, unfiltered, high-proof Kentucky bourbon that doesn’t blow your palate into a spice rack, this is a fantastic pick.

It’s got that classic Heaven Hill caramel-vanilla core, layered with warm spice and a finish that sticks around just long enough to remind you why you started loving bourbon in the first place.

Join the Tortured Bourbon Fam

Have you tried the Elijah Craig A125? Drop us a comment below or hit us up on socials — we want to see how your tasting notes line up with ours.

And if you’re new, check out our bourbon reviews, wild blind tastings, and totally unnecessary debates over at YouTube.com/@torturedbourbon — or start with this episode right here:

👉 https://youtu.be/RLPzIM1FYkk

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