The Ultimate Guide to Elijah Craig

In this guide, we’ll dig into the secrets of how Elijah Craig Whiskey is made, explore the history of ‘The Father of Bourbon’ who gave the brand its name, and explain why maturation is more than oak and time. 
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Elijah Craig Whiskey is a big name in bourbon. It’s an American whiskey that has proved to be a reliable, versatile, affordable sipper and a bartender’s go-to for Old Fashioneds and Manhattan cocktails. It’s a suitably sublime flagship for the Heaven Hill Distillery where it’s made. 

In this guide, we’ll dig into the secrets of how Elijah Craig Whiskey is made, explore the history of ‘The Father of Bourbon’ who gave the brand its name, and explain why maturation is more than oak and time. 

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Who Was Elijah Craig?

Elijah Craig is named after the Reverend Elijah Craig. He was a Baptist preacher, educator, entrepreneur, and distiller. He built the first paper and wool mills in Georgetown, Kentucky. 

According to legend, in 1789, Craig became the first distiller to age whiskey in new charred oak barrels. 

After a fire, the practical preacher noticed that the now charred barrels gave the whiskey a distinctive flavor and color. He turned a negative into a positive and began pioneering this law-enforced and crucial practice. Another story claims he stored his whiskey in former sugar barrels and was impressed with how charring improved the flavor. 

This supposed contribution has led to some calling him the ‘Father of Bourbon’ and it’s that legacy that Heaven Hill honors. However, these claims are debated and there is no conclusive historical evidence to verify them definitively.

Elijah Craig was also an enslaver. The Elijah Craig website acknowledges that history. It works with the University of Kentucky’s Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies and other initiatives “to not only share a more transparent and inclusive account of our past but to also make America today a more just and equitable country”.

What Is Heaven Hill Distillery?

Credit: Heaven Hill Distillery

Elijah Craig whiskey comes from Heaven Hill Distillery, which brand educator and ambassador Benji Purslow describes as “The biggest distillery nobody has ever heard of”.

Heaven Hill was founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family on 13 December 1935. It’s still a family-owned company, now on its third generation. However, its signature whiskey is not a flagship brand like Jim Beam or Jack Daniel’s. 

Instead, Heaven Hill is regarded for the variety and quality of the 13 brands of whiskey made there. The biggest names are Evan Willaims Bourbon, Elijah Craig, Larceny, Mellow Corn Whiskey, and Rittenhouse Rye Whisky. It also boasts an extensive Bottled-in-Bond label collection. 

In 2023, it filled its 10 millionth barrel, but that number was only 3.5m in 1985. This shows the increase in demand for bourbon. It’s interesting to note that Elijah Craig Bourbon was launched in 1986. 

Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 2 million barrels, aged in more than 70 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties in Kentucky. A second distillery will open in 2025 and the hope is that it will soon fill 1m barrels a year. 

In 1996 a fire destroyed a warehouse, the distillery, and 2% of all the world’s bourbon, so it’s good of them to keep us well stocked now. 

How Is Elijah Craig Whiskey Made?

At Heaven Hill, all five styles of American whiskey – bourbon, rye, wheat, corn, and single malt – are made. 

The mash bill for Elijah Craig bourbon is 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, a high percentage of rye that gives a whiskey a textured, complex edge full of spice and bite. Kentucky limestone water is noted as being key to the fermentation process. 

Bourbon whiskey new make (or white dog as Americans call it) must be aged in new charred American oak casks. 

Charring entails burning the inside of a wooden barrel to create a filter layer. This helps remove volatile elements, harsher textures, and aromas from the spirit such as sulfur. It also adds color, aroma, and texture, as well as tannins, vanillins, and lignins. An all-important red layer also forms underneath the blackened char. Less char gives you a bigger red layer which promotes more flavor at the start of the aging process, but a longer char like Elijah Craig’s creates a smaller red layer that is activated over a longer period.

Elijah Craig achieves a Level 3 char (the scale runs 1-4 with 4 being the longest, heaviest char) by firing its casks for 40 seconds at 1500F. Elijah Craig barrels are also toasted over an open flame to bring more sweet oak complexity. 

How The Environment Affects Whiskey Maturation

Where the barrels mature has a crucial effect on the whiskey. That goes beyond Kentucky and its extreme seasonal temperatures which enhance the interaction between wood and spirit through a constant expansion and contraction process. 

The microclimate of a rickhouse, where the barrels are matured, is important too. Temperature and humidity differ between floors, with barrels on higher floors exposed to more heat and airflow, resulting in higher proofs, while lower-floor barrels retain more moisture and a lower proof. 

Elijah Craig whiskey is aged across more than 70 warehouses, but the seven-story Buzick Open Rickhouses are favored. A typical Heaven Hill Rickhouse holds 55,000 barrels and it currently has 2.1mil barrels ageing. There, the windows are open for much of the year, allowing sunlight, wind, and barometric pressure to influence the aging process. Even small decisions, such as when to close windows, impact the whiskey’s quality. 

Evaporation plays a crucial role in the bourbon aging process too, affecting both the proof and flavor of the spirit. The Angel’s Share – the spirit lost to evaporation – varies based on environmental conditions. In humid environments, more ethanol than water evaporates, lowering the ABV and impacting the extraction of compounds like tannins from the oak. 

At Heaven Hill, Angel’s Share losses average 10% in the first year and 5% annually thereafter, with a barrel losing over half its volume in 10 years. As the spirit interacts with the wood, it breaks down compounds like cellulose, lignin, and lactones, creating a range of flavors from creamy and vanilla notes to evolving citrus profiles. Elijah Craig generally comes from floors 3/4/5, the “middle” tier.

Elijah Craig ages whiskey for longer than the 4-6 year average in bourbon, between 8-12 years, with 50% being 8/9/10, and 50% 11 and 12. The brand mingles 200-300 barrels at a time. This is why it calls its signature expression “Small Batch”.

What Types of Elijah Craig Whiskey Are There?

Credit: Master of Malt

The flagship Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon is the whiskey everyone knows. But Elijah Craig makes other outstanding whiskeys, including premium bourbons that rival Scotch whiskies and Cognac as neat sippers. 

Here’s a spotlight on three particular whiskeys that showcase the breadth and quality of the range:

Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

The old favorite and the brand’s signature bourbon, Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is a serial award-winner, many people’s go-to Old Fashioned whiskey, and a beautifully, sweet rewarding dram. 

Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey

Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey was created in response to the wider rye renaissance within American whiskey. In the last 14 years, rye has risen 1,509% in sales, admittedly from a very small starting point. With that, what was typically a cocktail spirit has had an influx of more sippable expressions launch at the top end of the market. Heaven Hill wanted to create a top-shelf rye and that’s what this is.  

Elijah Craig Single Barrel 18 Year Old Whiskey

The contents of one carefully chosen barrel go into Elijah Craig Single Barrel 18 Year Old Whiskey. Robust, incredibly complex, and full of personality, this sits among the pinnacle of bourbon whiskeys and presents a rare opportunity to sip some of the oldest bourbon in Kentucky.

What Does Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey Taste Like?

The latest innovation, Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey is made with a mash bill of 51% rye, 35% corn, and 14% malted barley. This whiskey is distinguished by how long it is aged (a minimum of 8 years), where it’s aged (middle tier of the rick house), and its bottling strength of 47% ABV (or 94 Proof). 

Here is a full tasting note from Master of Malt. 

Appearance:

Nose: Dark chocolate, macerated cherry, cola laces, rich baking spices, lemongrass, and oak char. There’s a spearmint freshness underneath.

Palate: Dried apricot, orange peel, raisin, and vanilla wafer. Throughout there are notes of peanut, butterscotch, cinnamon, pepper, and cacao. 

Finish: Long and lingering with chocolate, wintery spices, and dark fruit. 

Why You Should Buy Elijah Craig Bourbon

If you’re a Scotch drinker or somebody who never appreciated or was interested in bourbon, this is a great brand to start with. Elijah Craig whiskey achieves a balance between being rounded enough to be a smooth, approachable spirit while having texture, complexity, and character that a whiskey drinker will appreciate. 

Adam O'Connell

Adam O'Connell serves as the Marketing Content Manager for Master of Malt, where he has contributed his writing talents to the company's blog, social media, guides, and product pages for the past seven years. He has also showcased his expertise in whisky through video presentations and live streams, and has even served as a judge for The Spirit of Speyside Festival Awards. Adam holds a BA in History and an MA in Intellectual History from the University of Sussex. His passion lies in delving into the rich history of whisky, but he also embraces the innovation and future of the spirit, constantly seeking out new and captivating stories to share.

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