Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., has announced a new limited edition release of Elijah Craig 21-Year-Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The distiller will be offering the new 21-Year-Old bottling of Elijah Craig Single Barrel in limited quantities to selected markets across the country on a one-time basis. It will begin shipping in mid-August and will hit retail shelves sometime in September.
The new bottling follows up on the success of the sold-out Elijah Craig 20-Year-Old Single Barrel released in the Spring of last year, which was named “American Whiskey of the Year” by Whisky Advocate magazine. The new 21-Year-Old bottling will retail for approximately $140 for the 750ml size, and like last year’s 20-Year-Old will be in limited distribution.
The new bottling shares much of its packaging with its predecessor, including the familiar flask shaped Elijah Craig Single Barrel 750ml bottle and cork closure with a marbled capsule. Instead of the bronze label of the 20-Year-Old, this year’s 21-Year-Old will have a blue label, with the 21 year age statement prominently featured in reverse white and gold type in the center.
As with all previous editions of Elijah Craig Single Barrel, there will be space on the back label where the specific barrel number and “barreled on” date will be hand written. The new Elijah Craig 21-Year-Old will be available in a three bottle case of 750ml bottles, at its traditional 90 proof (45 percent alcohol by volume) strength.
“With the success we have had with the Elijah Craig 20-Year-Old Single Barrel, and the 18-Year-Old before that, we are really looking forward to the release of this new 21-Year-Old bottling,” notedsHeaven Hill’s 7th generation master distiller Craig Beam. “A number of years ago we carefully identified several hundred barrels that are at middle to high storage in our best rickhouses, and these are the source for this very special 21-Year-Old and for future Elijah Craig Single Barrel editions. These are some of the best older barrels of traditional rye-based Bourbon we have in our inventory.”
Aside from the recent honor from Whisky Advocate for the special 20-Year-Old, Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel has in the past won Double Gold Medal/Best Bourbon from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, “Top 50 Spirits” from Wine Enthusiast magazine, and a Gold Medal at the International Spirits Challenge.
“We are very excited to be introducing another special limited edition Elijah Craig Single Barrel into a broader market, at 21 years of age, albeit still in very limited quantities,” states Heaven Hill Whiskey Portfolio brand manager Susan Wahl. “This release, like the 20-Year-Old and 18-Year-Old Single Barrels, will take the consumer on a tasting journey of discovery that will motivate them to move up the line, from the more widely available 12-Year-Old Elijah Craig Small Batch on through these more aged, rarer bottlings.”
