Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Named 2017 Whisky of the Year by Whisky Advocate

November 16, 2017

For Immediate Release

BARDSTOWN, KY – Elijah Craig Barrel Proof was named Whisky Advocate’s 2017 Whisky of the Year, featured in the Winter 2017 magazine issue. Elijah Craig was chosen from among hundreds of samples submitted globally throughout the year. Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 are chosen each year from a collection of the highest-rated whiskeys nominated by the Buying Guide reviewers, and ranked based on quality, value and availability. Read and watch the full review on Whisky Advocate’s website here.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof previously earned spirits industry acclaim in 2017 as a World Whiskies Awards’ category winner, receiving Double Gold and Best Small Batch Bourbon – 11 Years and Older at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 95 Points at F. Paul Pacult’s Ultimate Spirits Challenge, and Gold at the SIP Awards. As a small batch, 12-Year-Old Bourbon bottled straight from the barrel three times per year, the nose, taste, and finish are preserved in their simplest form, just as Master Distiller Denny Potter tastes them in Heaven Hill’s central Kentucky rickhouses. Originally scoring a 94 in the Summer 2017 issue of Whisky Advocate magazine, Fred Minnick described Elijah Craig Barrel Proof as a “Pure bliss; must sip.”

“Elijah Craig is an essential part of American Whiskey’s history, and we’re proud to embrace that legacy,” said Master Distiller Denny Potter. “As a nurturer of storied brands, Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America’s spirit for more than 81 years.”

The signature Bourbon bears the name of Reverend Elijah Craig, a Bourbon pioneer who is credited with being the first distiller to age his whiskey in charred oak barrels, or the Father of Bourbon. Heaven Hill Distillery preserves the Bourbon making traditions developed by Elijah Craig over two hundred years ago, where local corn and grains are milled and mixed with limestone-rich Kentucky spring water, then fermented and distilled. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is available nationally in limited quantities.

About Elijah Craig Bourbon
The Elijah Craig family of Bourbons is led by the flagship Elijah Craig Small Batch, made exclusively from batches of 200 barrels or less of 8 to 12-Year-Old Bourbon. First brought to market in 1986, Heaven Hill’s Master Distillers were selecting a small number of barrels of the finest Bourbon to make Elijah Craig long before the term “small batch” even existed. It is this attention to detail and superb craftsmanship that give Elijah Craig an ideal balance of age, robust body and rich flavor. Its accolades have included a “Double Gold Medal” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and two-time “Best of the Best” Bourbon by Whisky Magazine.

This signature spirit bears the name of the Rev. Elijah Craig, “The Father of Bourbon” who established his distillery in 1789. He is credited with being the first distiller to age his Kentucky whiskey in charred oak barrels. The clear, unaged corn liquor became transformed into a bold amber liquid with a distinctively smooth flavor that makes Bourbon what it is. Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery and one of its bestselling Bourbons by case volume, it is complemented by Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old Barrel Proof, Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel and Elijah Craig 23-Year-Old Single Barrel in the portfolio. For more information, please visit www.elijahcraig.com.

About Heaven Hill Distillery
Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.3 million barrels aging in 55 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Parker’s Heritage Collection. Heaven Hill Distillery previously held the titles of 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year, 2016 Whiskey Advocate American Whiskey of the Year and 2016 Rye Whiskey of the Year from “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.” For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely.  Drink Wisely.”

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CONTACT:
Lauren Cherry
Heaven Hill Distillery
(502) 413-0217
[email protected]

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