Elijah CraigIn the varied world of American whiskey, bourbon is typically the go-to dram, thanks to its sweeter palate and easy drinking nature. However, it would be remiss to overlook rye whiskey, which prior to the Prohibition era was more popular than bourbon. Known for its dry, spicy palate, rye whiskey is known for its peppery, baking spice notes which lend it more nuance and complexity than typically afforded by even the best bourbons. For those desirous of the best of both worlds, the Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey finds a happy medium.
American whiskey brand Elijah Craig pays homage to the legendary Baptist minister of the same name. Known as the ‘Father of Bourbon’, Elijah Craig is credited with being the first distiller to age his corn whiskey in charred oak barrels in 1789; now one of the defining qualities of bourbon. While the brand is—naturally—best known for its bourbons, the Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey sees it apply the same easy drinking finesse to the dark grain.
Distilled at Heaven Hill Distillery in Kentucky, the Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey is what’s colloquially known as a ‘barely legal rye’, with a mash bill of 51% rye, 35% corn, and 14% malted barley. Using corn as a secondary grain rather than a higher percentage of rye lends the whiskey bourbon-like sweetness which tempers the spiciness of the rye.
Despite not carrying an age statement, the Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey is extra aged, resulting in a more full-bodied dram with greater nuance on the palate.
A light and approachable rye whiskey, it has a nose of peppery spices and dark chocolate, with a hint of mint and smoke. On the palate, there’s a lot of caramel sweetness and baking spices with a hint of peppery, savoury rye lying beneath the sweetness. A medium finish reveals vanilla and more rye spice, with the latter lingering on the tongue.
“Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey’s unique blend of spicy rye grains and sweet corn gives it the perfect balance of flavour and smoothness,” says Conor O’Driscoll, Master Distiller at Heaven Hill Distillery. “Elijah Craig Rye celebrates the heritage of Rye Whiskey in Kentucky and adds another high-quality option to an award-winning line up of specially crafted whiskeys.”
First released in 2019, Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey is now available in Australia, priced at $93.90AUD via the Boozebud webstore.
Words by Henry Blake
