Category: Rye Whiskey

Hannah’s Elijah Craig Straight Rye Review

Original review written July 12, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

A solid rye that I have been looking forward to tasting. It’s deep, rich, and sweet, and almost doesn’t drink like a rye. Nevertheless, a great buy, and one I will keep around most certainly. 89/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Straight Rye
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Rye=51%; Corn=35%; Malted Barley=14%
– Casks: unpublished char
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 47% (94 proof)
– Price: $32.95 USD in Idaho 2022

Visit elijahcraig.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the spirit neat with sister, Elora, and well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this rye here!

SETTING:

I imagine sitting on a stool with Elijah Craig Straight Rye in one hand, and a big bowl of chocolate in the other. Decorate the chocolate with various fruits and colors, and I think this rye has met its partner. I think the sweetness of each will play off of one another well, emphasizing bitterness in the right places and exacerbating warmth in others. The rye and chocolate create a pleasant hug of sweetness and comfort, and the two together only would make each other shine all the more.

Photo by American Heritage Chocolate on Unsplash

NOSE:

This meets the nose as a dark rye with plenty of malt and a thick toffee acting as a foundation, complete with hazelnuts and toasted coconut and even a tart, citrus zest. The wood is formidable as well, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s fresh. Rather, it has a musty element, making it seem water-logged with the plant/vegetation aspect incredibly strong. Despite this, I can still find a freshness in this nose, with the smell of rain (petrichor) absolutely bursting from the glass mixing with a bite of cinnamon to sweeten.

For this being an Elijah Craig product, I’m not surprised to sense black pepper; however, I am surprised to note how little black pepper there is. This rye is earthy and deep and teems with age (for a rye at least). The alcohol is even softer with the rye than how it is with its Small Batch Bourbon counterpart. Nevertheless, this is still a complex and intriguing rye, and I am ready to sip.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: It’s slightly more watery than I was anticipating, but it does grow in texture and warmth with more sips.
– Balance: Heavy on the sugary sweetness, this still has a wood base and earthy tone that make everything else taste that much livelier.
– Visual: Carrot in color, there are many, thick legs that fall from clinging droplets. The droplets turn to a solid ring, and this also lingers for a good deal of time.

– Taste: I can let this sit on my palate almost indefinitely without feeling much of a burn, and also not a great deal of flavor. When a bit more aggravated, a dark brown sugar emerges with molasses and a sweet praline trails them. A sweeter nut, like peanuts, resides in this praline as opposed to the bitter hazelnuts from the nose. There’s honeycomb, candied apples, melted chocolate and even a bit of maple. This whole glass radiates dark sweetness, touched by the slightest amount of black pepper to make everything bite a little.

It’s a rye that, frankly, is hard to forcibly interact with. The temptation to just sit with it and let the warmth grow is tremendous. It grows in complexity also the longer it sits on the tongue, with the sugar elements turning into pure sugar crystals and the depth intensifying into something that tastes older and older. There aren’t many fruits aside from the occasional raisin and aforementioned apples. All the same, this is a sheer joy to sip. The alcohol is mild, but it does escalate in warmth the further into the glass I get. A Kentucky chew provokes chocolate and buttery walnuts, and the warmth is excellent.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. At times, the heat lingers and punches even after the sip is gone; however, most often it dwindles and settles without incident.
– Between Sips: Caramel and chocolate – like a candy bar – can be found between sips, but otherwise, the flavor does fade somewhat quickly.

– No More: This grows in complexity the longer I sit with it, and as mentioned in the palate, the alcohol grows as well, becoming warmer, and somehow, even richer.

The empty Glencairn is a light oak with bits of honey and vanilla mixed in – unaggressive, but certainly soft and smooth. I wish it was a little punchier, but this rye has held true to its sweetness until the very end.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Just over $30, and an Elijah Craig and a rye from their distilleries at last – absolutely it’s worth the price. This rye is a great value, and it’s one that I intend to keep around in the bunker given the chance.

ELIJAH CRAIG STRAIGHT RYE REVIEW RATING: 89/100

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