Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Rye (2024 Release)

Started skeptical of this grain to glass rye as HH marketing hype given the high price point (and the fact that they don't talk about rye source!, only the corn), but bought one anyway. 123.2 proof and 63% rye, 24% corn and 13% malted barley mashbill. Tasting neat Golden brown and average coating legs in the glass. Nose is sweet and grassy, cherry, vanilla oak, and a little ethanol way in the back. Mouth is a rush of sweet burnt sugar and then sour grain, wrapped up in an ethanol rush. Tannic and dry rye spice, white pepper, and astringent. Coating oily mouthfeel. Dry oak takes over after a while and dominates the finish, which is more sweet white sugar and yet still full of spice and spearmint.Tingling lips in a long lingering finish that finally turns toward sour cherry coughdrop notes. Gotta be a rye lover to like this (I am), and even then it's not an elegant balanced rye (even at only a 63% rye mashbill!). This got away from the distiller?! The nose (which is the best part) and mouth are so different. The finish becomes easier and seems sweeter as you get used to the ABV. Ice tamps down the ethanol and oak tannins, and makes this more balanced, but leaves the finish more sweet/sour than that tingling mint flavor when sipped neat. Confusing. This rye is like a gangly teenager--all knees and elbows, big feet and sharp angles. Tastes younger than its 6 year age statement. It's interesting... but not easy, "unusual" in both the good and bad sense. I'm imagining it mixed in a Manhattan--raw rye and sweet vermouth might really sing. But that's an expensive mixing rye. Overall, I keep coming back to the price point, which is out of line with this whiskey. But then I've felt that way about other HH products. Fred Minnick rated this #30 of the top 100 in 2024. Will revisit this as I try it over time.

Nose is very herbal and spicy with aromas of mint, licorice, cilantro, thyme, white pepper, rye, fennel, and a hint of graham cracker. Ethanol is not bothersome, but it’s there if you huff deeply enough. A musty farm note comes out after it warms, but it’s kind of endearing. Palate opens sweeter than the nose indicates with chocolate mint, caramel chew, brown sugar, wintergreen, clove, coriander, sarsaparilla, and a generic nuttiness. There’s also a watermelon note in here which is wild. Rich and complex. Finish is medium length, and takes a turn back into the herb garden with green tea leaf, anise, sage, eucalyptus, and sour dill, along with cinnamon, orange marmalade, leather, sandalwood, and a hint of something floral (honeysuckle? jasmine? I don’t eat flowers often) Mouthfeel is very thick and oily; no graininess present which helps keep the herbaceous mess from becoming too harsh on the mouth. What a ride! A rye lovers rye. I really wanted to say it’s not worth it for the price of $119.00 that I paid, and I was about to write off the Heaven Hill grain to glass whiskies as overpriced marketing gimmicks, but I have a hard time being that matter of fact about it as this one is much better than the others in the series. An excellent whiskey and very unique. Would consider a rebuy even at the admittedly high price point.

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Lots of fruit: apple, apricot, pear, raisin. Palate: Baking spice, clove, cinnamon. Finish: ling length with medium heat. Splash: A funky wood note, almost like sawdust, appears. Rocks: Since I have a large rock handy...this drinks well over ice. Overall: 9/10 - 2025 was a great year for rye, even though this was the 2024 expression. This was my first time trying Heaven Hill's Grain to Glass, and at almost 20% off MSRP it was hard to resist. I'm glad I tried it and highly recommend!

What a rye! Herbs and spices, heavy juniper, anise, slight dill followed by a wave of black pepper. Once this subsides there is mild caramel and some more prominent oak that turns into a super spicy, creamy and long finish. Ive never been too big on heaven hill but this rye was a treat!

Starts off sooooo hot. Fuck. But then you can taste the high corn in the mash bill and get some sweetness. Mouthfeel but the burn doesn’t linger. Very different than other ryes. Got this at HH and the tour guide said this was her favorite.

Yup. This is good despite the price. Very high rye bourbon flavor rich and creamy without water and becomes herbal grassy rye with added water. Great cameleon sip. Versatile is better way to describe it. Almost skipped this one.