Proof: 94
Age: NAS
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Mashbill: 51/35/14
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Nose: Apple, apricot, butterscotch, clove, lemon peel, orange zest, mint, oak, vanilla, floral/grassy.
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Taste: Buttery/sharp mouthfeel. Licorice, charred oak, black tea, banana, butterscotch, caramel, grassy, mint, fruity, pineapple, cinnamon, clove, heavy citrus, leather.
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Finish: Medium length. Heavy citrus notes on the front palate, melded with typical rye grain and tea notes, followed by slight fruit that is reminiscent of juicy fruit gum, finished with a pleasant spice comprised of clove, nutmeg, and black pepper.
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Overall: Being the first new iteration from the Elijah Craig lineup since the introduction of barrel proof, Heaven Hill does what they do best – use the same mashbill that is found in other products, but blended to a new flavor profile that sets it apart from Rittenhouse and Pikesville Rye.
The average retail on this bottle is somewhere around $30-$40, coming in at 94 proof, I feel like is a tad overpriced. Seeing as Rittenhouse is a solid $18-$24 at 100 proof, I don’t see any reason to purchase EC Rye other than the first time just to try it.
This is great for mixing and cocktails, it sips fine neat, but there are better rye whiskies out there with a much better flavor profile for the money. Pikesville for instance, is a solid 110 proof banger of a rye. Pour that neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail. Or even Old Forester Rye, Russell’s rye 6 year – both better purchases.
Heaven Hill released this to a limited set of markets in the beginning which drove people to paying overhyped and inflated prices which also led to people praising it to make them feel better.
I purchased mine cost+shipping upon its NC release for a total of $52 and have yet to actually enjoy it. I’m not upset that I “overpaid”, but rather that HH has produced something that let me down when they offer a cheaper and better rye option with Rittenhouse.
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Rating: 6.7/10
Value Rating:4/10
Total Score:5.35/10
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