In October 2019, Heaven Hill launched Elijah Craig Rye as a new, ongoing nationwide release. Almost 5 years later, the company announced the release of Elijah Craig Toasted Rye. The company states that “the process begins with fully matured Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey, which is dumped and then re-entered at barrel proof into a second, custom toasted new oak barrel designed in partnership with Independent Stave Company. The toast on these secondary barrels is unique to Elijah Craig Toasted Rye. At the end of the nearly hour-long toasting process, a cap is placed on the barrel to quickly ramp up the heat to an extremely high temperature, allowing phenols to embed in the surface of the barrel for an added element of smoke to complement the spice and sweetness of the Rye. Unlike many other finished whiskeys, this whiskey retains its status as a Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey because the second finishing barrel is both new and charred.” Elijah Craig Toasted Rye will be an allocated nationally released whiskey.

While many ryes whiskeys come across with heavy notes of rye, their namesake grain, Elijah Craig Toasted Rye takes a gentler approach. Light rye grain is present, but there’s also a really pleasing sweet fruit punch scent that balances it out. Gentle honey and cinnamon add sweetness, while vanilla cream and oak join in upon further exploration, adding a layer of depth. It’s an effective and really enjoyable way to open the sip.

The whiskey becomes more expressive as it moves to the midpoint of the sip, revealing nutmeg, milk chocolate, marshmallow, and vanilla upfront. Diving in deeper teases out notes of summer fruits, toasted oak, and light rye spice. Dabs of brown butter and brown sugar add further intrigue. While the delivery of flavors isn’t intense by any means, overall it’s a nice combination, and the flavors combine to form a pleasing midpoint.

The whiskey’s rye underpinnings come to life in the finish, with rye spice popping up front. Oak and leather follow, along with baking chocolate and a white peppercorn note. The flavors fade away, leaving gentle oak and prickly rye spice notes that linger. Straightforward and to the point, the finish ends in a pleasant way but lacks the delivery the earlier parts of the sip provided.

Toasted barrel finishing isn’t a new concept, however, compared to bourbon, toasted barrel finished ryes aren’t as popular. Elijah Craig Toasted Rye now joins the ranks alongside Michter’s Toasted Barrel Finish Rye and Penelope Toasted Barrel Finish Rye as consumer favorite brands that compete in this category. Compared to the standard Elijah Craig Rye, Elijah Craig Toasted Rye comes across as more expressive. Where the standard sip delivers a more muted flavor profile across the board, the toasted finishing barrel teases out more definable flavors and gives the sip a slight pop in comparison. This pop of flavor is just enough to make Toasted Rye stand out on its own and really become the rye that most rye lovers probably hoped for from the initial release of Elijah Craig Rye.

When Elijah Craig Rye was first introduced, it was an average pour with an average MSRP of $30. A year later, in September 2020, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon was introduced for $50, leaving many rye lovers wondering when they would see a toasted rye. In 2024 they finally have that answer, and the whiskey matches the current price tag of Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel finishes of $55.

If you’re wondering whether $55 seems like a steep increase compared to the base rye’s price, you are correct. While toasted rye does offer a slightly elevated flavor profile compared to its non-toasted counterpart, the increase in price doesn’t match. It’s an allocated release, and a nod should be given to Heaven Hill to keep the price lower compared to all of the other allocated products released this year. Additionally, compared to other toasted barrel finished rye products, Heaven Hill’s offering seems reasonable. It may not deliver the deepest sip, but it also carries a price that is in line with what it does deliver.

Toasted barrel finished whiskeys seemed to have their moment for a few years with a number of brands embracing them, particularly with bourbon products. That’s why it was slightly surprising that Heaven Hill announced a new toasted barrel finish rye product half way through 2024, but it was also intriguing at the same time. A new toasted barrel finished rye product that was significantly cheaper than its main competition, but it was also building off of a base product that was just average to begin with.

The result is a rye that is definitely elevated compared to the standard Elijah Craig Rye, but also one that is hard-pressed to stand up to releases from other major brands. The sip is more intriguing, with a slightly deeper flavor profile and at a proof that many consumers will appreciate. Additionally, it carries a reasonable price tag and if its availability is anything like its Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon, consumers will have a decent chance of being able to purchase a bottle. What that amounts to is that Elijah Craig Toasted Rye is really what rye lovers deserved from Heaven Hill all along, and that’s an okay bar to meet.