Elijah Craig (bourbon)
Kentucky bourbon named for the purported father of bourbon.
Last updated
Elijah Craig is a top-shelf bourbon whiskey brand produced in Kentucky by Heaven Hill Distilleries. It is sold as a straight bourbon, typically in 750 ml glass bottles, and is offered in both small batch and single barrel bottlings. The brand is named after Reverend Elijah Craig, whom Heaven Hill dubiously credits as the inventor of true Kentucky Bourbon.
Namesake
The bourbon brand honors Reverend Elijah Craig (1738/1743 – May 18, 1808), a Baptist preacher, educator, and entrepreneur in what became Scott County, Kentucky. Around 1789, he founded a distillery there. Heaven Hill dubiously credits him with inventing true Kentucky Bourbon by barrel-aging distillate in charred oak casks, calling him 'The Father of Bourbon' in advertising.
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Originally released in 1986 with a 12-year age statement, the Small Batch bottling dropped that statement in early 2016, switching to a composite of 8- and 12-year-old bourbon. The maximum barrels per batch increased from 100 to 200. A redesign of the Small Batch and Small Batch Barrel Proof offerings was announced on September 29, 2016. The Small Batch (94 proof) is the only Elijah Craig release available for private barrel selection.
Elijah Craig Single Barrel
Single barrel variants are currently available in 18- and 23-year-old bottlings, with 20-, 21-, and 22-year-old versions also previously offered. In May 2012, the 18 Year Old was suspended due to limited stocks, leading to annual extra-aged releases: 1,300 bottles of 20 Year Old in 2012, replaced by 21 Year Old in 2013, then 23 Year Old in 2014. The 18 Year Old returned in 2015 and continues annual release.
Awards and reviews
At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the 18-year-old Single Barrel won 'Best Bourbon' and a Double Gold Medal in 2010, having received Double Gold in 2008, Gold in 2004, and Silver in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007. In 2011, Elijah Craig 20 Year Old Single Barrel (Barrel #3735) was named 'American Whiskey of the Year' by Whisky Advocate. In 2017, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B517 was named 'Whisky of the Year' by Whisky Advocate.
More in Whisky Brands
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Elijah Craig (bourbon) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced