Reverend Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher, an educator, and an entrepreneur who built the first paper and wool mills in Georgetown, Kentucky. But for all his industries, it was his gift as a distiller and an innovator that brought him his greatest acclaim. In 1789, Elijah Craig became the first distiller to age his whiskey in new charred oak barrels. He continued to refine the barrel charring process, imparting smooth, rich flavor to the spirit that would become known as Bourbon. 250 years later, he is still known as the Father of Bourbon—and the company crafts its Bourbon today using the same time-honored methods.

All Bourbons are crafted from four essential elements: Grain, Water, Fire & Time. Elijah Craig uses malted barley, rye, and local corn in all of their signature recipes, or “mashbills.” Adding Kentucky limestone water to the mashbill is key to the fermentation process but evaporation is equally important to the aging process. How much water escapes from a barrel affects the proof of the Bourbon inside.

Their new oak barrels are fired for 40 seconds to achieve a Level 3 char: creating rich, aromatic layers that give their Small Batch its signature warm spice & subtle smoke flavor. But charring isn’t the only way they treat their barrels. Left to toast over an open flame for a precise amount of time, they can add even more sweet oak complexity to their Bourbon. Most Bourbons are aged for 4 to 6 years but a rare few are allowed to stand the test of time. Left to weather the Kentucky elements year over year, the Bourbon in these barrels develops a deep, rich flavor.