Elijah Craig’s New Barrel Proof Bourbon and Rye Are Out Now

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon is one of those whiskeys, like Booker’s, that is released in a few batches spread out over the course of a year. The latest edition has just arrived, along with the Barrel Proof Rye that was first introduced in 2025, but Heaven Hill has made a few changes to the way these whiskeys will be released in the future, and we have the details to share.

Elijah Craig first dropped a barrel-proof bourbon back in 2013, and at 134.2 proof, that stands with some of the strongest members of this series. The whiskey carried a 12-year age statement for about a decade, but the brand dropped that in 2023 and decided to give each release its own specific age statement, which usually falls within a year or two of that marker. The new release clocks in at 12 years and eight months old and was bottled at 124.4 proof, but Heaven Hill decided to change up the way the whiskey is labeled. Up until now, each batch had a four-digit code—this release would have been called C926 indicating it is the third batch of the year released in September of 2026 (provided it had actually been released in September).

Now it’s called H-40, referring to August of this year (H is the eighth letter of the alphabet), and the 40th release overall. The month is more of an indication of when each batch was assembled, not the actual release date. Likewise, the new Barrel Proof Rye is coded as H-04, referring to August and fourth release overall. That whiskey was aged for 10 years and bottled at 124.4 proof—the highest to date for the rye and the same as the bourbon, which is quite a coincidence. Technically speaking, a whiskey can be bottled at barrel proof as long as it is within two proof points from how it came out of the barrel, but the distillery says that was not done here.

So is this new system any less confusing? According to the distillery, it’s supposed to be a “more simplistic nomenclature, allowing the quality and craft of the liquid to shine.” To that end, the bourbon will also no longer be released in three set batches per year, but on a schedule that reflects when the liquid is actually ready. We were able to sample both whiskeys, and they are very good examples of each label. Look for notes of cinnamon, caramel, vanilla custard, smoked oak, and orange zest in the bourbon; the rye has notes of black pepper, maple, dark chocolate, and licorice. Both whiskeys are available now nationwide with a suggested retail price of $75, but prices may vary depending on the store or website.