Overview: If the standard Elijah Craig Small Batch is the dependable workhorse of the Heaven Hill lineup, the Toasted Barrel is what happens when you give it a second run in a toasted new oak barrel. Same 94 proof, same familiar DNA — but the toasted finish takes that classic peanut-and-caramel profile and wraps it in something that reads more like dessert. At around $40, the premium over the standard Small Batch is modest enough that it’s worth trying side by side.

Finished whiskeys are a category I keep coming back to. The secondary barrel is doing real work on the spirit — not just adding a flavor note at the end like a cocktail garnish, but actually reshaping the profile over weeks of additional contact with toasted wood. When it works, the result is more layered than either the base whiskey or the finishing barrel could produce alone. This one works.

How I Found It: Picked this up at Total Wine alongside the Elijah Craig Toasted Rye — both were marked “limit one per customer.” That limit one signal is worth paying attention to. It doesn’t guarantee a great bottle, but it usually means supply is constrained enough that Heaven Hill isn’t just dumping product. At sub-$40 with that kind of demand indicator, it was an easy decision.

Age: NAS

Proof: 94 (47% ABV)

Mashbill: Heaven Hill standard (undisclosed, corn-forward)

Nose: Toasted marshmallow and graham cracker dominate right out of the glass, with vanilla taffy underneath. There’s a fruitiness in the background — maraschino cherries and a little honey — that keeps it from feeling one-dimensional. It smells like a s’more, which is either exactly what you’re looking for or a yellow flag depending on your preferences. The toasted oak is present without being aggressive; it adds a warmth to the nose rather than a woodsy sharpness. (If you want to understand what the toasted barrel is actually doing here, I wrote about that.)

Palate: Oily and rich in the mouth. Burnt sugar and chocolate-covered pecans hit first, then a light orange peel zest cuts through and keeps things from going fully into candy territory. The charred oak shows up just enough to remind you this is still bourbon — there’s a backbone under all that sweetness that prevents it from feeling cloying. The texture is one of its strengths: coating without being heavy, with enough proof to hold the flavors in place.

Finish: Medium-long. Starts sweet — almost fruit roll-up sweet — then dries out with smoky oak and a dark chocolate bitterness that lingers well past the sip. The finish is the most interesting part of this bottle; it’s where the toasted barrel does its best work. What starts as a dessert pour ends with something more serious.

Side by Side with the Toasted Rye: Bought these together and tasted them back to back, which I’d recommend. The Toasted Barrel is rounder, sweeter, and more dessert-forward — the wheated bourbon base leans into what the toasted oak adds. The Toasted Rye is brighter and spicier on entry, with the rye grain adding a zip that the bourbon doesn’t have. Same finishing concept, noticeably different results. If you’re trying one, try both — at these prices it’s a worthwhile experiment.

Final Thoughts: A solid choice for anyone who likes the standard Small Batch and wonders what a toasted finish would do to it. Here’s your answer. It’s not a bottle I’d reach for every night, but I’d buy it again without hesitation — and at sub-$40 with limited retail availability, that’s exactly what I’ll do when I see it. A good gateway into finished whiskeys for anyone not ready to spend Maker’s Private Selection money.

If You Liked This, Try…

• Elijah Craig Toasted Rye — The obvious sibling. Same finishing concept, same price range, different grain bill. Worth tasting them side by side.
• Maker’s Mark Private Selection “Golden Hour” — If the toasted finish concept appeals and you want to see what it looks like with more proof and a custom stave profile, this is the next step up.

Rating: Middle Shelf — Rating system explained