Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye B526 Review
“Barrel Proof Rye”
Heaven Hill released its first Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye in January 2026, following the release and batch format they use for their Barrel Proof Bourbon, i.e. batches A, B, and C released in January, May and September. Heaven Hill’s rye mash bill is the minimum needed (51%) to be called a Rye Whiskey, and it has 35% corn as the secondary grain. That suggests that it will drink closer to bourbon than most ryes do. I’ll grab a pour and get to work on this Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye B526 review.
Series: Annual Barrel Proof series, Batch 2 of 3
Classification: Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Age: 10 years, 8 month
Proof: 115.6
Batch Designation: Small Batch
Proof Designation: Barrel Proof
Filtered Status: Non-Chill Filtered
Mash bill: 51% Rye, 35% Corn, 14% Malted Barley
Barrel Char Level: 3
Barrel Entry Proof: 125
Still Type: Column Still
Distillate Source: Heaven Hill
Distillery: Elijah Craig Distillery Co. (Heaven Hill)
Company: Heaven Hill
Bottled By: Elijah Craig Distillery
Distilled/Aging Location: Bardstown, Kentucky
Master Distiller: Conor O’Driscoll
Release Date: May 2026
MSRP: $75
Secondary Market: $80 – $100
Availability: Relatively Available
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye B526 Review
July 29, 2026
My tasting reviews are unique in that I include the notes of several well-known whiskey critics. The hope is that this format will help me and others to explore and expand their tasting experience. After you have taken your own tasting notes, read the reviews and see if there is a flavor note that others discerned that now you can detect as well.
For this tasting: Opened Bottle (about 2 days), Glencairn Glass, Neat, Room Temp, Breathe: 5 minutes
Legs
Beads form on the crown at about 5 seconds, the first legs begin to fall at about 10 seconds, and the first legs reach the bowl at about 26 seconds.
Nose
Herbal notes, toffee, orange peel, hay, a hint of chocolate.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Bourbon Barkeep: Paraphrase: Bright and sweet, with honey, caramel, vanilla, and a soft marshmallow-like note. Orange peel and citrus add freshness, while rye spice, light molasses, and seasoned oak provide depth. The oak is noticeable but restrained for a rye approaching 11 years old.
SLB Drinks: Paraphrase: An unusual but intriguing combination of tobacco, molasses, and honeyed orange. Freshly cut weeds, crushed green plants, thistle, and dandelion introduce a raw herbal quality reminiscent of vegetation after weed-whacking. The aromas are somewhat conflicting, but distinctive rather than unpleasant.
Reddit: cmchance: Herbal spice with an underlying sweetness. A mingling of clove, ginger paste, dried fennel, and black tea combine with brown sugar simple syrup and a dash of orange extract. As I nose this more deeply the spices turn more peppery and the sweetness fades. There is an astringency that I pick up with my dominant nostril when not nosing it with both.
Palate
Burnt sugar, milk chocolate, baking spices, a mild herbal note, barrel char, hint of maple syrup and orange peel, leather, oak, rye spice.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Bourbon Barkeep: Paraphase: Rich and pleasantly oily, with a full, viscous mouthfeel. Honey, vanilla, caramel, and orange peel lead the way, followed by mint, nutmeg, black pepper, and lively rye spice. The sweetness is well balanced by the spice, while the oak remains present without becoming overpowering.
SLB Drinks: Paraphrase: Honeyed citrus and molasses provide restrained sweetness against tobacco, straw, green herbs, and earthy rye grain. The whiskey has a raw, grassy character, like chewing on a fresh dandelion stem or piece of straw. The flavors are relatively light and not especially complex, but the core herbal and grain notes are clearly expressed.
Reddit: cmchance: Thick mouthfeel and warming on the palate. The herbal spice from the nose transfers over to the palate well. A bit more spice present with noticeable rye spice and black pepper. A lovely blend of burnt brown sugar, damp tobacco, and cinnamon begins to swell mid sip and carry me to the finish. There are some very subtle fruit notes I get late in the sip with orange peel, tart berries, and spiced figs.
Finish
Medium-short finish with a hint of spearmint, mild herbal notes, baking spices, pepper, oak, a little caramel.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Bourbon Barkeep: Paraphase: Medium to long, with lingering honey, orange peel, vanilla, mint, and black pepper. Rye spice creates a warm, energetic finish, accompanied by subtle nutmeg, light oak, and a faint earthy or freshly cut grass note. It drinks close to its stated proof but remains approachable for a barrel-proof rye.
SLB Drinks: Paraphrase: Warm and slightly hotter than its 115 proof suggests, with lingering tobacco, dry vegetation, rye grain, and herbal spice. A mild astringency develops toward the back of the palate after several sips. The finish is somewhat dry and lacks the touch of sweetness or richness needed to fully bring the flavors together.
Reddit: cmchance: A long, dry finish and leans more earthy than the rest of the sip. White pepper, dried rye berries, seasoned oak, and a touch of brown sugar. There’s a gentle, warming hug that starts right in the center of my chest and spreads very slowly. While not too exciting, this is a very nice finish to bring a barrel proof rye whiskey to a close. It’s quiet while remaining bold and indubitably rye whiskey.
Mouthfeel
The mouthfeel is Silken.
Mouthfeel Rating Guide: Thin = Watery | Silken = smooth & slippery, but not mouth coating | Creamy = coats the tongue like heavy cream does. | Rich or Unctuous = coats the entire palate like quality olive oil
The Burn
Average. This means that the burn from the alcohol is about what I would expect it to be. I would guess this to be around 110 – 120 proof.
The Burn Rating Guide:
Very Low = it drinks like it is a much lower proof
Low = it drinks like it is a little lower proof
Average = the heat is about what I would expect
Hot = it is hotter than what I would expect
Scorching! = it drinks much hotter than what I would expect
Tasting Summary
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye B526 hits the palate with some baking spices and pleasant oak char followed with caramel, orange peel, a little leather, some herbal notes, hay, a touch of vanilla and a hint of chocolate.
It isn’t very complex but the flavors compliment each other. Overall, it is a pleasant pour.
My Rating – 7.8
The higher the score the better the whiskey is in my opinion. For reference, my best rated bottle so far is the George T. Stagg 2022 (138.7p) with a score of 9.7.
| Score Type | Score | Examples |
| Likability Score | 7.8 | 1.0 – 10.0 |
My Tasting Notes
A blank version of this tasting notes wheel is available in both a color and a black & white version in the member’s area.
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