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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – Batch B524/Rocky Patel Conviction

65.3% ABV

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Bardstown, KY

The Father of Bourbon? 

Telling the story of who Elijah Craig was and what he is known for would take up volumes. If his life story was a Netflix documentary, it would require a few seasons. But on the surface, you should know that he is considered by some as “the father of bourbon.” Whether that moniker was assigned to him by the distillery as part of their branding efforts or by historians is a bit of a controversial subject. However, he is credited as the first to char oak barrels to make bourbon, and today that is a key distinguishing characteristic and a legal requirement to call your whiskey a bourbon, so we’ll go with it. 

Elijah was born in 1738 in Orange County, Virginia, the fifth child of Paulie Hawkins and Toliver Craig Sr. At the age of 28 he was converted to the Baptist faith, which was a turning point in his life. He started hosting religious meetings in a tobacco farm – tobacco was a principal crop in the colonies – and by the age of 33 he was ordained as a minister. But these meetings and his sermons were not sanctioned by the Anglican church. This was in a time before the Establishment Clause and language that framed the concept of the separation of church and state. Elijah and his older brother Lewis were each charged and jailed for “preaching without a license.” As the persecution continued to heat up, ministers started heading to the frontier to preach the gospel without the risk of imprisonment. In 1781, Lewis Craig led an expedition of roughly 600 people across the wilderness and into the Kentucky territory, which was then part of Virginia. The group was called The Travelling Church. It was the largest group of pioneers  to enter the area as one body. A year later, Elijah Craig followed suit and led his congregation into Kentucky territory. The group later founded a town they named Lebanon. In honor of the country’s first president, they changed the name of the town to Georgetown – as of 2020 Georgetown is the 6th most populous city in the state of Kentucky. 

The Baptist ministers and their followers migrated from Virginia to Kentucky seeking religious freedom but also, in many cases, an opportunity to prosper financially. And as it turns out, Elijah was a natural at making money. In addition to being a pastor, Reverend Elijah Craig also owned a grist mill – an essential business on the frontier. He later started a paper mill, a tobacco warehouse, and a classical school which grew into what is today Georgetown College. If his business endeavors had ended there, you likely wouldn’t have heard of him, but he also started a distillery. And it was in that distillery that it is said he was the first to age corn liquor in charred oak barrels. 

Batch Wars 

Ask a bourbon geek if they like Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and you’ll probably get hit with a series of letters and numbers and a corresponding love it/hate it rating. To the untrained ear it’s Greek but true fans of the line can wax emotionally about their favorite batches like you might talk about your favorite smokes. Heaven Hill Distilleries, makers of Elijah Craig, release the Barrel Proof line of uncut, unfiltered bourbon straight from the barrel three times a year. The batches are identified by a simple coding system that includes the batch identifier (A, B, or C), the release month (1-12), and the two-digit release year. The batch we’re tasting here is B524; B denotes the 2nd release of the year, 5 means that it was released in May, and 24 tells us it is a 2024 release. 

Kentucky Straight Bourbon pairing 1X1 1

Pairing by: Erik Calviño

Tasting Notes: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – Batch B524

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof releases vary greatly from batch to batch. B524 is exceptional. The whiskey has a beautiful, dark amber color in the glass showing off its age (11 years and two months). The nose is intense and complex with notes of rich vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, and cinnamon with a hint of citrus in the background. On the palate the intensity continues as do the notes from the nose, which are joined by mouth-gripping oak tannins and a touch of tobacco. It is exceptionally balanced and flavorful. With higher proof spirits such as this one, a little dilution can help bring out additional aromas and flavors. 

Cigar Pairing: Rocky Patel Conviction

The cigar is an impeccably constructed, dark Churchill that delivers a balanced profile highlighted by tons of dark chocolate, roasted almonds, currant, smooth earth, and sweet pepper. Surprisingly, the Elijah Craig, with its 65.3% alcohol, does not blow away the cigar’s core flavors. Instead, it adds a layer of caramel and nuts that adds depth to the pairing. Don’t be afraid to enjoy the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof over a large cube. This proof point can handle that with ease.


This article appeared in the September/October 2024 issue. Subscribe today to get the magazine in your mailbox.

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