Strawberry | Stewed cherry | Cinnamon stick | Nutmeg | Chocolate | Leather | Barrel-aged honey

Blackberry | Seasoned oak | Butterscotch | White pepper | Mint | Buttery mouthfeel

Rye spice | Dark berries | Barrel char | Stewed cherry | Tannic oak | Lightly herbal | Medium length

With Heaven Hill’s expansion into barrel proof expressions of many of their core brands, which most recently included Bernheim Original Wheat Bourbon in 2023, it was only a matter of time before they treated one of their rye products the same barrel proof treatment. Elijah Craig Rye doesn’t gather too much attention for whiskey diehards; you’d even be forgiven if you had forgotten it altogether. Following this initial release, Elijah Craig's Barrel Proof Rye will be released three times annually, every January, May and September.

Featuring an impressive 12 year, 6 month age statement for its first batch is a great place to start. Not only does it offer a nice counterpoint to this Fall’s release of Beam’s Old Overholt 12 Year Rye, it also reverses an unpopular trend Elijah Craig Barrel Proof batches have been undergoing: a continued decrease in their age. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye Batch A925 also features a proof point that whiskey enthusiasts may take issue with, since it is lower than the standard ongoing Pikesville Rye at 110 proof. The redeeming factor is that, given its age, a lower-than-expected proof point typically results in a concentration of flavor - and that is somewhat true for Batch A925.

For the rye’s age, the amount of fruit that its flavor profile contains is quite impressive. The aroma begins with sweet strawberry and stewed cherry that combine to great effect with cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and chocolate. A touch of leather and barrel-aged honey further adds complexity. The palate’s buttery mouthfeel offers blackberry upfront, followed by a contrasting mix of seasoned oak, butterscotch, white pepper, and mint. It’s not overly complex but diverse enough to be impactful. The medium-long finish hits quickly with a surge of rye spice, followed by dark berries, barrel char, stewed cherry, tannic oak, and a hint of herbal notes.

Though not the proof monster that many may have wanted , Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye Batch A925 is at its best thanks to a very controlled amount of aged oak against its lush fruit notes. Many high-age ryes tend to lose their fruit side to an overpowering amount of oak, but that isn’t the case here. The rye’s proof might have also helped temper the amount of mint and rye spice that can also act as overpowering agents in many higher-aged ryes. Batch A925 might be some drinkers’ first experience with an Elijah Craig rye or a reintroduction for others who wrote it off. It’s precisely what the brand needed to be for its inaugural batch. It’s approachable, careful not to be polarizing, and able to walk the fine line of being appealing to both newcomers and experienced rye drinkers alike. While Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye Batch A925 might not be as potent as this Fall’s Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release Tanyard Hill Rye or as complex as Old Overholt 12 Year Rye, it keeps good company, and its $75 price point makes it an great value.