Heaven Hill Expands Elijah Craig Line With Barrel Proof Rye Release

Rye whiskey lovers received exciting news on Tuesday, when Heaven Hill announced that it’s expanding its beloved Elijah Craig Barrel Proof line to include a rye whiskey product.

This is the first barrel-proof rye whiskey ever to come out of the Elijah Craig brand. The debut batch, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye Batch A925, carries an age statement of 12 years and 3 months and a proof of 108. That is a very low proof for a barrel-proof whiskey. For reference, Elijah Craig’s most recent barrel-proof bourbon was bottled at 126.2 proof.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey will be available by late September for a suggested retail price of $74.99 per 750-milliliter bottle — the same suggested price as its bourbon counterpart.

“Our signature Elijah Craig spice and complexity shine through beautifully in our inaugural Barrel Proof Rye, in an approachable way that makes it ideal for barrel proof first-timers and experienced palates alike,” Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll said in a news release. “As whiskey fans know, barrel proof is kind of like that famous box of chocolates, in not knowing what you’re going to get until the barrel dumps. In this instance, we got a 108 proof treat that drinks bolder than its number would suggest.”

When Will Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey Release?

After this first release, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye will release three times each year, in January, May and September. As with Heaven Hill’s other batched regular releases, the letter “A,” “B” or “C” will indicate whether it was the first, second or third release of the year. The first number represents the month it was released, and the last two numbers indicate the year.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey Batch A925 Tasting Notes, Per Heaven Hill

Color: Rich, deep copper

Nose: Baking spices, gingerbread and a sweet note of molasses

Taste: Stewed fruits and touches of cinnamon.

Finish: Long, warm with nutmeg and lots of rye spice.