BCA Private Barrel Archive • February 2026
A 10-Year, 129.5-Proof Counterpart to Our “Light Side” Barrel
We partnered with ACE Liquor Center on the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof “Dark Side,” a private single-barrel Kentucky straight bourbon aged 10 years and bottled at 129.5 proof.
Released for Bourbon Club of Arkansas members in February 2026, this barrel was presented as the darker companion to our earlier Elijah Craig “Light Side Rebel Barrel.”
10 Years
Age Statement
129.5
Barrel Proof
BCA + ACE
Private Selection
$79.99
Original Price + Tax
The Story Behind Our Elijah Craig “Dark Side” Barrel
The Elijah Craig Barrel Proof “Dark Side” joined our private-barrel lineup as a high-proof, double-digit-aged bourbon selected in partnership with ACE Liquor Center. Its 10-year age statement and 129.5-proof bottling placed it squarely in the bold, full-strength style many barrel-proof bourbon enthusiasts seek.
We introduced the barrel as the darker counterpart to the previously released Elijah Craig “Light Side Rebel Barrel”. The two selections created a natural paired story within our Elijah Craig releases while still allowing each single barrel to stand on its own.
The original release account reported that the Light Side and Dark Side barrels were aged in the same rickhouse and dumped on the same day. We are preserving that detail as a reported connection rather than presenting it as independently verified production documentation.
Elijah Craig Dark Side Barrel Details
- Brand: Elijah Craig
- Expression: Barrel Proof Private Selection
- Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Age: 10 Years
- Proof: 129.5
- Selection: Bourbon Club of Arkansas and ACE Liquor Center
- Release: February 2026
- Original Retail Price: $79.99 plus tax
Arkansas Release Information
The Dark Side barrel was released through ACE Liquor Center in February 2026. The original release information listed a retail price of $79.99 plus tax.
This release was offered as a Bourbon Club of Arkansas member selection rather than a general public release.
Archive note: This page documents the 2026 release and does not represent current inventory or availability.
April 2026 Update
An Early Review of the Dark Side Barrel
On April 9, 2026, Arkansas-based reviewer Casks-n-Que published an early outside review of the BCA and ACE Liquor Center selection. The original Facebook post is embedded below so readers can view the reviewer’s presentation directly.
The original ArkansasLiquor.com analysis characterized the review as an 8/10 showing oak, caramel, dark fruit, classic Heaven Hill warmth, and a long oak-forward finish. We are retaining that characterization as a report from the original article, not presenting it as an official BCA tasting note.
Why the Dark Side Pick Stands Out
A mature, full-strength Elijah Craig single barrel with a companion release story.
Single-barrel individuality: Unlike a national batched release, a private single barrel reflects one barrel’s individual character.
Double-digit age: The 10-year statement gives the release a clear maturity marker within our archive of club selections.
Barrel-proof presentation: At 129.5 proof, the bourbon was bottled in the high-strength format highlighted in the original release information.
About Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Private Selections
Elijah Craig is produced by Heaven Hill Distillery. Private barrel selections allow a participating group and retailer to choose a specific single barrel rather than receive a nationally batched expression.
That single-barrel format is what makes releases such as Dark Side useful to document: the age, proof, selection partners, release context, and outside reviews together preserve the history of an individual Arkansas barrel pick.
Elijah Craig “Dark Side” Private Barrel FAQ
The Elijah Craig “Dark Side” is a 10-year, 129.5-proof private single-barrel Kentucky straight bourbon selected by the Bourbon Club of Arkansas in partnership with ACE Liquor Center.
The Dark Side private barrel carries a 10-year age statement.
The Dark Side selection was bottled at 129.5 proof.
The February 2026 release was offered through ACE Liquor Center as a Bourbon Club of Arkansas member selection.
The original release information listed a retail price of $79.99 plus tax.
The original release account described Dark Side as the companion to the Light Side Rebel Barrel and reported that the two barrels were aged in the same rickhouse and dumped on the same day. That production detail is presented as reported rather than independently verified.
This page documents a limited February 2026 member release and does not represent current inventory. Availability should not be assumed from this archive page.
No. Dark Side was a private single-barrel selection chosen specifically by BCA and ACE Liquor Center rather than a nationally distributed batched release.
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Elijah Craig and Heaven Hill are trademarks of their respective owners. Bourbon Club of Arkansas is an independent club. This archival article documents a past private-barrel release; pricing and availability are historical and should not be treated as current retail information. Please enjoy alcohol responsibly.
