🥃 Elijah Craig
Kentucky straight bourbon brand from Heaven Hill, named after Rev. Elijah Craig; Small Batch was first released in 1986 and is 94 proof (47% ABV).
Elijah Craig is a Kentucky straight bourbon brand from Heaven Hill, a distillery company led by the Shapira family since 1935. It is named after Rev. Elijah Craig, whom Heaven Hill credits as the first distiller to age whiskey in charred oak barrels. Small Batch was first released in 1986; Heaven Hill says its master distillers were selecting small numbers of barrels for it before "small batch" became a common term.
History. According to Heaven Hill, Rev. Elijah Craig founded a distillery in 1789 on the banks of Elkhorn Creek, in what is now Georgetown, Kentucky.
How it is made. The producer's page on Small Batch describes Bernheim, Heaven Hill's distillery just west of downtown Louisville, and says it has five signature mashbills; it does not give the mash bill of this bourbon. According to the producer, Small Batch is 94 proof (47% ABV) and 8 to 12 years old.
Range. Heaven Hill lists Small Batch, Barrel Proof, Toasted Barrel, Straight Rye and Single Barrel versions. The first Single Barrel 15-Year-Old was announced on 18 March 2026 at 108 proof (54% ABV).
Why it matters to you. Under US rules bourbon is aged in new charred oak barrels, and straight bourbon is aged at least two years (27 CFR 5.143). Craig's role as the first to use charred barrels is a credit given by the producer. Strength differs between versions, so check the label. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | Small Batch first released 1986 (Heaven Hill); named after Rev. Elijah Craig, distillery on Elkhorn Creek in 1789 according to the producer |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | 27 CFR § 5.143 (USA): bourbon — at least 51% corn, new charred oak barrels; straight — at least 2 years |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey, for the EU market |
| Distillation method | Bernheim Distillery, Louisville (Heaven Hill) |
| Cask type | new charred oak barrels (under the bourbon rule) |
| Minimum maturation | straight bourbon — at least 2 years by law; Small Batch — 8 to 12 years (according to the producer) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 94 proof (47% ABV), Small Batch |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Elijah Craig → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Heaven Hill Brands, 🥃 Bardstown
- Packed in
- 🐝 American white oak, 🍷 Barrel toasting
- Made from
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Straight bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 North America
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Evan Williams, 🥃 Maker's Mark, 🥃 Buffalo Trace
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Elijah Craig invented bourbon?
The producer's pages credit him as the first distiller to age whiskey in charred oak barrels; this is a credit given by the brand, not an independently verified fact.
Who owns Elijah Craig?
Heaven Hill, which according to its site has been led by the Shapira family since 1935 and calls itself the largest family-owned and operated distillery in America.
How old is Elijah Craig Small Batch?
According to the producer, 8 to 12 years old.
What is the strength of Small Batch?
94 proof, that is 47% ABV.
Where is Elijah Craig made?
According to the producer's page, at Heaven Hill's Bernheim Distillery, just west of downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🐝 American white oak — A North American oak that gives wine strong vanilla and coconut notes.
- 🌍 North America — US and Canada: 9.5 million US cows gave 232 billion lb of milk (2025); Wisconsin makes a quarter of US cheese; Canada runs on dairy quotas.
Similar
🥃 Jim Beam · 🥃 Old Crow · 🥃 Michter's · 🥃 Evan Williams · 🥃 Old Forester · 🥃 Blanton's
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Heaven Hill Distillery: Elijah Craig Small Batch (94 proof, 8 to 12 years; Bernheim Distillery in Louisville; Shapira family since 1935; Rev. Elijah Craig credited with charred-barrel ageing)
- Heaven Hill: Elijah Craig introduces 15-Year-Old Bourbon (18.03.2026; Small Batch first released 1986; Rev. Elijah Craig, distillery 1789 on Elkhorn Creek; product range; 108 proof)
- 27 CFR § 5.143 Standards of identity for whisky (bourbon: mash min. 51 % corn, new charred oak containers; straight: min. 2 years), text via Cornell LII
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)