Elijah Craig Toasted Rye Review

Drew Beard -

BOTTLE DETAILS

DREW'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Toasted whiskey lovers. Rye and bourbon fans alike.

WORTH THE PRICE: It's nearly twice as much as the standard Elijah Craig rye, and there's a good chance you'll find this one marked up a little higher, similar to the Toasted Bourbon offering. But it's still a comparative bargain against brands like Michter's and every bit as good.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle. It's a versatile and flavorful rye at a solid price point. What more could you ask for, people?

OVERALL: I've seen a lot of hero shots in my day, but this latest for Heaven Hill's new Toasted Rye takes the cake. Just look at that bottle. Leaning nonchalantly up against the wall of what appears to be a very nice Las Vegas bathroom. I can almost imagine it taking a long drag off a cigarette and telling me to lighten up. If an inanimate object could exude cool, it would be this one.

Maybe Heaven Hill's photographers got a little over their skis here, but the point is still well-taken. This is a cool whiskey with a smooth demeanor but a lot of attitude underneath. And a lot of potential. I've always considered Elijah Craig Rye a solid cocktail companion, but this Toasted expression is an equally good sipper.

From the aroma alone, it's almost hard to peg this one immediately for a rye. The toasted cask has added rich, expressive layers of praline and baking spice to complement the softer undertones of Andes mints, rye spice, and buttercream icing. The palate is full-bodied and wood-driven but without any astringency or heavy barrel notes. It's creamy with initial notes of clove, ginger, and chocolate chip cookies that give way on the midpalate to a touch of smoke and a kick of black pepper before a generous, warming finish of spice cabinet and butter mints.

Elijah Craig Toasted Bourbon is good, but it didn't quite live up to the hype. This, on the other hand, is as impressive at its ridiculous headshot implies. Get some.

BRAND NOTES

Elijah Craig is excited to announce the launch of Elijah Craig Toasted Rye. In 1789, as the first to char oak barrels to make Bourbon, Elijah Craig became credited as the ‘Father of Bourbon’. This latest expression continues his tradition of barrel innovation and as a result, adds complex layers of soft and creamy milk chocolate to the characteristic spice notes of Elijah Craig Straight Rye.

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 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 leads with an aroma of toasted oak, crème brûlée, almond and hazelnut. Notes of milk chocolate and subtle baking spices fill the palate, while a creamy mouthfeel begins to take shape. The finish is soft and warm with lingering, drawn-out spices.

Elijah Craig Toasted Rye is made as a traditional American Straight Rye Whiskey with 51% rye, 35% corn and 14% malted barley. This combination of grains, which relies heavily on corn as the secondary grain rather than a higher percentage of rye, has been the primary Rye mashbill used by Kentucky Bourbon distilleries since taking over nearly all American Rye production post-Prohibition. Allowing Elijah Craig Rye to rest for a finishing period in the secondary barrel adds the perfect amount of balance from the toast to the classic rye spice.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.