Cowdery, Charles K. (July 1996). "How Bourbon Whiskey Really Got Its Famous Name". The Bourbon Country Reader. 3 (1). Archived from the original on May 13, 2008 . Retrieved August 5, 2008.

For mains, Elijah Craig is an ideal accompaniment to grilled steak or pork chops. Its hints of cinnamon and nutmeg add further depth to the robust flavours of red meats. This bourbon also pairs amazingly with hearty stews and braises thanks to its rich caramel notes and underlying sweetness. Bourbon-glazed baked ham also works really well with this whiskey due to its sweet honeyed taste and subtle smokiness. With some chewing and savouring, there’s still the same toasted nuttiness from the nose. It’s subtle, but as a self-declared peanut butter monster, I love it. Towards the end, there’s a herbal sort of minty flavour going on, with hints of dark chocolate, oak and citrus peel. These flavours lift things slightly, which is a nice departure from the nuts and rye heat. Overall, the palate is good, but not overly deep in flavour. Finish: On the finish, this bourbon delivers a long and lingering aftertaste which combines all of the elements I’ve tasted throughout my glass. The sweet manuka honey flavour melds in harmony with the winter spices whilst the toasted oak provides a drying effect. Lastly, there’s a resurgence of crème anglaise that adds an almost dessert-like sweetness on the very end.

In 2011, Elijah Craig 20 Year Old Single Barrel (Barrel #3735) was named by Whisky Advocate magazine as "American Whiskey of the Year". [15] Granted, the label of Elijah Craig Small Batch says otherwise. But Elijah Craig is better described as among the fathers of bourbon whiskey, since there were other distillers in Craig’s time doing much the same thing. He did, however, have a pivotal impact on bourbon whiskey production. Craig is credited as the first to use charred oak barrels. Straub, Bill (May 11, 2017). "Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Guide to releases and batches". Modern Thirst . Retrieved May 25, 2018. Small batch bourbon is made when a distiller selects and combines a small range of unique barrels to create a single batch of whiskey. Compared to using a typically wider ‘pool’ of barrels for lesser quality (wider) blends, small batch is much more selective. This method allows the master blender to maximise specific barrels’ characteristics to create a superior and focused product. This careful selection and blending is more labour intensive, which generally makes small batch bourbons more expensive than standard bottlings but cheaper than single barrel bourbons.

There are different types of bourbon on the market, depending on how they’re made. Single barrel bourbon, sweet or rare. Learn more about the terms and distillery processes to understand what goes into making a delicious bottle.Like its confusing terminology cousin “single barrel,” the term “small batch” first came to usage courtesy of famed Jim Beam distiller Booker Noe. And while the honor system is a big deal among distillers, small batch is not a legally regulated term in bourbon production. You don’t have to spend hundreds on fancy bottles to drink excellent Bourbon. In fact, there are some fantastic lesser-known bottles hiding in price points that you wouldn’t expect. Compared to the Elijah Craig, this bourbon is smoother with very little burn. At 45% ABV, it’s soft and easy drinking. For me, I don’t need to add any water as this is going down nicely.

Distillation: A process where a liquid is heated and cooled for purity. For whiskey specifically, this is the part of the process where any existing alcohol created during fermentation is removed. Released in 1986, the label of Elijah Craig Small-Batch Bourbon states that Elijah Craig is the ‘Father of Bourbon.’ it is difficult to say precisely how he came up with the idea of aging liquor in charred barrels. All in all, it’s thanks to him that sweet and smoky brown liquor was born. The team managing Elijah Craig put the bourbon through rigorous processes to recreate the product that Elijah created so long ago. With added touches of perfection that come with a more refined, modern process. Where is Elijah Craig Bourbon made? A converted Baptist ( who kind of looked like Cary Elwes?), Craig was jailed several times for preaching without a license ( it’s a thing). In spite of his religiosity (or because of it, depending on how you view bourbon), Craig founded a distillery in 1789 and became a leading name in oak-aged corn whiskey. Craig was ‘A’ Father of Bourbon, not ‘The’ Father of Bourbon. Single Barrel Select, Small Batch, 12 Year Old Small Batch, 12 Year Barrel Proof, 18 Year Old Single Barrel, 20 Year Old Single Barrel, 21 Year Old Single Barrel, Elijah Craig 22 Year Old Single Barrel, 23 Year Old Single Barrel, 125 proof Elijah Craig (Distillery Only release)For mains, steak or pork chops are excellent choices for Elijah Craig bourbon pairings. Elijah Craig provides an ideal balance between its caramelised sugar notes and robust oakyness that complement steak’s natural flavours. Elijah Craig also brings out the subtle sweetness in pork chops while adding an oaky layer to each bite. Like Buffalo Trace, Elijah Craig’s mash bill is higher in corn proportion, at about 78 percent corn and 10 to 12 percent rye and malted barley. By law, bourbon must be 51 percent corn, with the rest of the necessary starch coming from grains like rye, wheat, and malted barley. Higher corn proportion can mean a smooth, slightly sweeter whiskey with a soft sweetness but a broader heat. Aging tends to be where higher corn whiskies gain their gravitas, threading char and oak lactones into the body of the whiskey; hence Elijah Craig’s baseline bottle is aged eight to 12 years. Elijah Craig claims the oldest single-barrel bourbon on the market. No partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship is created as a result of your use of the Service. WhiskyWorld (27 March 2023). "A closer look at Elijah Craig Small Batch" . Retrieved March 29, 2023.