Elijah Craig Barrel Proof’s Expansion to Rye Whiskey Was Worth the Wait

In late 2025, Heaven Hill expanded one of American whiskey’s most respected full-proof lines — Elijah Craig Barrel Proof — to include rye whiskey. Batch A126 arrived in January as the second release of the series, delivering nearly 12 years of age at 120.4 proof for around $75, providing a tremendous value for fans of bold, bruising rye whiskey.

The Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon series has built a loyal following over more than a decade. Released in batches three times a year, it sits in the sweet spot that serious whiskey drinkers look for: uncut, well-aged and priced below what comparable releases from other distilleries typically cost. It’s the kind of bottle that ends up in collections and on back bars at the same time. That reputation made Heaven Hill’s decision to extend the series to rye whiskey a smart one, and one that sparked serious excitement among whiskey fans. And Batch A126, the first release of 2026, makes a strong case that the expansion was the right call. Barrel-proof rye at this age and price is a genuinely rare thing. Heaven Hill’s ability to price it so aggressively reflects the advantage the distillery in being the second-largest holder of aging American whiskey inventory in the country.

Our Review of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch A126

We tasted Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch A126 and came away very impressed.

The nose opens with Demerara sugar, cinnamon, and mocha, followed by cherry, frosting, sassafras, and a faint note of horseradish. It is rich and well-balanced — sweet and spiced at the same time, without either note getting out ahead of the other.

The palate leads with oak, which is exactly what you’d expect from a rye of this age. The oak is dry and dusty rather than harsh and bitter, and it builds structure around everything else going on: gingerbread and cinnamon balance nicely with molasses, coffee bean, cherry and lemon candies. A peanut brittle note toward the back of the palate softens the transition to the finish, which is long, moving through cinnamon and nutmeg before settling into sunflower seeds, lemon peel, leather, cacao and coffee grounds.

Fans of the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bourbon will find the DNA familiar. The proof is similar, the commitment to age is the same, but of course the profile leans spicier, delivering more spice, oak and dried fruit, giving you less of those dessert-forward sweet notes that the ECBP bourbons reliably deliver.

Click here to check out our full review and see what score we awarded this delicious barrel-proof rye.