Elijah Craig (bourbon)
Encyclopedia
Elijah Craig is a 12 year-old super-premium bourbon whiskey
produced in Bardstown, Kentucky
by the Heaven Hill
Distillery. The brand is sold as a straight
bourbon. It is sold in glass 750ml bottles.
Elijah Craig whisky is made in both 12 "Small Batch" and 18 year-old "Single Barrel" bottlings. The 18 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon is touted as "The oldest Single Barrel Bourbon in the world at 18 years . . ." made in oak barrels that are "hand selected by Parker and Craig Beam," losing nearly 2/3 of the barrels contents in Angel's share. The barrels are later sold to the Scotch Whiskey industry or used by microbrewers for making Bourbon Barrel aged beer such as Goose Island Brewery
's "Bourbon County" Imperial Stout (see Brewing methods
).
In the San Francisco World Spirits Competition of 2010, the 18 year-old Elijah Craig Single Barrel Bourbon was awarded Best Bourbon and a Double Gold Medal rating. In previous years, it had received a Double Gold Medal rating in 2008, a Gold Medal rating in 2004, and four silver ratings in other years (2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007).
(1738/1743 – May 18, 1808), who was a Baptist
preacher, born in Virginia, who became an educator and capitalist entrepreneur
in the area of Virginia that later became the state of Kentucky
. The Heaven Hill company dubiously credits him with the invention
of "true Kentucky Bourbon
" by improving the locally made distillate from an un-aged corn liquor to the familiar reddish drink through barrel-aging in charred oak casks. Today, Elijah Craig is most widely known in association with this brand of bourbon produced by the Heaven Hill
distillery.
. About a century later, the Rev. Craig was dubiously claimed to have been the inventor of Bourbon whiskey
by being the first to age the distillation in charred oak casks, "a process that gives the bourbon its reddish color and unique taste." The Heaven Hill company uses this claim in its advertising of their product.
Bourbon whiskey derives its name from the general area originally established as Bourbon County
, which was originally established as the name of a county in Virginia
, in honor of the French royal House of Bourbon
family. The naming was a gesture of gratitude, as France had assisted the colonial rebellion in the U.S. revolutionary war against England. However, although the borders and naming of the counties in the area shifted over time, Rev. Craig's distillery site has never actually been in a county named Bourbon County. When founded, the distillery was in the nearby territory of the original Fayette County of Virginia
, which had been named in honor of the noted Revolutionary War Gen. Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette
(who was a member of the House of Bourbon). Later government actions would name the area as Woodford County
in 1788, and then as Scott County
in 1792. The area became part of Kentucky
when the state was created from part of Virginia in 1792.
As American whiskey authority Charles Kendrick Cowdery has observed, "By the time Bourbon County was formed in 1785, there were dozens if not hundreds of small farmer-distillers making whiskey throughout the region… Ultimately, most of the corn-based whiskey made west of the Alleghenies was called 'bourbon', to distinguish it from the rye-based whiskies that predominated in the East.".
Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
produced in Bardstown, Kentucky
Bardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
by the Heaven Hill
Heaven Hill
Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., is a private family-owned and operated distillery company headquartered in Bardstown, Kentucky that produces and markets the Heaven Hill brand of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and a variety of other distilled spirits. Its current distillery facility, called the...
Distillery. The brand is sold as a straight
Straight whiskey
Straight whiskey is whisky created by distilling a fermented cereal grain mash to create a spirit not exceeding 80% alcohol content by volume and then aging the spirit for at least two years at an abv concentration not exceeding 62.5% at the start of the aging process.Filtering and dilution...
bourbon. It is sold in glass 750ml bottles.
Elijah Craig whisky is made in both 12 "Small Batch" and 18 year-old "Single Barrel" bottlings. The 18 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon is touted as "The oldest Single Barrel Bourbon in the world at 18 years . . ." made in oak barrels that are "hand selected by Parker and Craig Beam," losing nearly 2/3 of the barrels contents in Angel's share. The barrels are later sold to the Scotch Whiskey industry or used by microbrewers for making Bourbon Barrel aged beer such as Goose Island Brewery
Goose Island Brewery
Goose Island Brewery is a brewery located in Chicago, Illinois, that began as a single brewpub known as Clybourn, which was opened in May 1988 by John Hall in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois. The larger brewery was opened in 1995, while the second brewpub, Wrigleyville, was opened in 1999...
's "Bourbon County" Imperial Stout (see Brewing methods
Brewing methods
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BC, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt. Descriptions of various beer recipes can be...
).
In the San Francisco World Spirits Competition of 2010, the 18 year-old Elijah Craig Single Barrel Bourbon was awarded Best Bourbon and a Double Gold Medal rating. In previous years, it had received a Double Gold Medal rating in 2008, a Gold Medal rating in 2004, and four silver ratings in other years (2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007).
Namesake
The bourbon brand was named in honor of Reverend Elijah CraigElijah Craig
Rev. Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher in Virginia, who became an educator and capitalist entrepreneur in the area of Virginia that later became the state of Kentucky...
(1738/1743 – May 18, 1808), who was a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
preacher, born in Virginia, who became an educator and capitalist entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
in the area of Virginia that later became the state of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. The Heaven Hill company dubiously credits him with the invention
Invention
An invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...
of "true Kentucky Bourbon
Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
" by improving the locally made distillate from an un-aged corn liquor to the familiar reddish drink through barrel-aging in charred oak casks. Today, Elijah Craig is most widely known in association with this brand of bourbon produced by the Heaven Hill
Heaven Hill
Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., is a private family-owned and operated distillery company headquartered in Bardstown, Kentucky that produces and markets the Heaven Hill brand of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and a variety of other distilled spirits. Its current distillery facility, called the...
distillery.
Distillery
In approximately 1789, Craig founded a distilleryDistillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
. About a century later, the Rev. Craig was dubiously claimed to have been the inventor of Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
by being the first to age the distillation in charred oak casks, "a process that gives the bourbon its reddish color and unique taste." The Heaven Hill company uses this claim in its advertising of their product.
Bourbon whiskey derives its name from the general area originally established as Bourbon County
Bourbon County, Kentucky
Bourbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the remnant of what was previously a much larger Bourbon County, established as part of Virginia in 1785, and comprising what are now thirty-four modern Kentucky counties...
, which was originally established as the name of a county in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, in honor of the French royal House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
family. The naming was a gesture of gratitude, as France had assisted the colonial rebellion in the U.S. revolutionary war against England. However, although the borders and naming of the counties in the area shifted over time, Rev. Craig's distillery site has never actually been in a county named Bourbon County. When founded, the distillery was in the nearby territory of the original Fayette County of Virginia
Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 295,083 in the 2010 Census. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
, which had been named in honor of the noted Revolutionary War Gen. Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette
Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette , often known as simply Lafayette, was a French aristocrat and military officer born in Chavaniac, in the province of Auvergne in south central France...
(who was a member of the House of Bourbon). Later government actions would name the area as Woodford County
Woodford County, Kentucky
Woodford County is a county located in the heart of the Bluegrass region of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its county seat is Versailles. The county is named for General William Woodford, who was with General George Washington at Valley Forge...
in 1788, and then as Scott County
Scott County, Kentucky
Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 47,173 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Georgetown.Scott County is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in 1792. The area became part of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
when the state was created from part of Virginia in 1792.
As American whiskey authority Charles Kendrick Cowdery has observed, "By the time Bourbon County was formed in 1785, there were dozens if not hundreds of small farmer-distillers making whiskey throughout the region… Ultimately, most of the corn-based whiskey made west of the Alleghenies was called 'bourbon', to distinguish it from the rye-based whiskies that predominated in the East.".
External links
- Elijah Craig 12 year-old Small Batch: http://www.bardstownwhiskeysociety.com/brands/elijah-craig-small-batch.php
- Elijah Craig 18 year-old Single Barrel: http://www.bardstownwhiskeysociety.com/brands/elijah-craig-single-barrel.php