Elijah Craig 21 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Elijah Craig is named for the Baptist minister often credited as the “Father of Bourbon” for pioneering the charring of barrels, and Heaven Hill’s flagship brand has always had a deep bench of older age-stated releases. In 2013, the brand’s 21 Year Old Single Barrel replaced the 20 Year Old, and in 2014 the 23 Year Old Single Barrel replaced it. Then the 21 Year Old disappeared. In June 2026, Elijah Craig reintroduced the 21 Year Old Single Barrel for the first time since 2013, as the third in a trio of older releases following the 15 and 18 Year Old Single Barrels, and it’s now the oldest age statement currently available from the brand.

Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll calls it “a sophisticated, more mature sibling to our vaunted Single Barrel collection”: “Our fans have been waiting for a new 20-year-plus-aged release, and this won’t disappoint.” Heaven Hill spent years building enough supply to bring it back, and it came out in small numbers: an undisclosed amount was sold at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown on June 14 (National Bourbon Day), with 1,789 bottles, a nod to the year Elijah Craig is said to have first made bourbon, released to select markets. Each bottle comes from a single barrel and is packed in a custom wooden display case that references the barrel-charring tradition that earned its namesake his nickname. It’s bottled at 94 proof (47% ABV).

The official tasting notes describe a nose of “toasted oak, leather and complex spices”; a palate of “milk chocolate, toasted nuts and burnt caramel”; and a finish where “aged oak, molasses, barrel char and peppery spices bring it to a rich finish.” Maxim called it “flawless”: “that comfortable proof point of 94 lends itself to sweetness, but the sweetness is elegantly tempered by toasty oak and a deep nutmeg spice.” Another reviewer timed the finish at “very long, barrel char, lingering peppery spice, dried dark fruit, fading caramel, 45-plus seconds,” and described it as approachable at 94 proof. As with any single barrel, bottles vary slightly from barrel to barrel.

It’s a rare, ultra-aged bourbon for collectors, and one of the few chances to buy a 21-year-old Heaven Hill bourbon. Sip it neat, in a Glencairn glass, and give it time.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Elijah Craig 21 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is produced by Heaven Hill in Kentucky, under Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll, from Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig bourbon recipe, aged 21 years in new charred American oak. Each bottle comes from a single barrel and is packed in a custom wooden display case. Bottled at 47% ABV / 94 proof, 750ml. A limited release.

Critics Reviews

No numerical critic scores are published yet for this release.

Maxim:
“This bourbon is flawless. That comfortable proof point of 94 lends itself to sweetness in general, but the sweetness is elegantly tempered by toasty notes of oak and a deep nutmeg spice.”

Bourbon & Smoke Reviews:
“Finish: Very long; barrel char, lingering peppery spice, dried dark fruit, fading caramel — 45+ seconds.”

Elijah Craig (official tasting notes):
“On the nose, Elijah Craig 21-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon evokes toasted oak, leather and complex spices. Tasting reveals notes of milk chocolate, toasted nuts and burnt caramel, while aged oak, molasses, barrel char and peppery spices bring it to a rich finish.”

Tasting Profile

Nose
Toasted oak, leather, and complex spices, with caramel and dark chocolate.

Palate
Milk chocolate, toasted nuts, and burnt caramel, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and dark fruit.

Finish
Very long, with aged oak, molasses, barrel char, peppery spice, and dried dark fruit.

Quick Overview

Cocktail & Serving Suggestions

Neat in a Glencairn glass — let it open for several minutes.

With a few drops of water — to bring out the chocolate and nut notes.

Food Pairings

• Dark chocolate and chocolate truffles
• Roasted nuts and aged cheeses
• Caramel and pecan desserts
• Cigars