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Heaven Hill Distilleries tells BourbonBlog.com that a new limited edition release of Elijah Craig 20-Year-Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey will be introduced to replace Elijah Craig 18 in late May or early June 2012. Heaven Hill will be offer the new 20-Year-Old bottling of Elijah Craig Single Barrel in limited quantities to selected markets across the country on a one-time basis.

The new Elijah Craig 20 will retail for approximately $130 for the 750ml size, but less than 80 specially selected barrels will be dumped, yielding fewer than 1,300 bottles.

For now, in order to manage stock levels in the warehouses, Heaven Hill has temporarily suspended bottling of the 18-Year-Old Elijah Craig Single Barrel that it has offered for a number of years, but plans to augment the Elijah Craig line with future extra-aged single barrel limited editions.

There has talk at Heaven Hill that older expressions might possibly be released including a 21-Year-Old bottling (or older) under the Elijah Craig label at some point in the future.

Because it seems uncertain how long the Elijah Craig 18 will be available again or when it will be re-released, we recommend grabbing a bottle if it is one of your favorites and if you can still find it on shelves.

Last fall, a special one barrel bottling of the Elijah Craig 20-Year-Old Single Barrel done by Heaven Hill to mark the 20th anniversary of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival (which was available only at Heaven Hill’s Bourbon Heritage Center Gift Shop).  Heaven Hill’s 7th generation Master Distiller Craig Beam tells he likes it describing the, “The flavor of Elijah Craig 20-Year-Old  in many ways goes back toward the complexity of Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old with deep notes of the cooperage, but  gives even more of the oak.”

 

“With literally thousands of aging barrels over 10 years old, we have a huge and one-of-a-kind resource to tap into,” note Craig Beam. “We’ve carefully identified several hundred that are at middle to high storage in our best rickhouses, and these will be the source for these very special future Elijah Craig Single Barrel editions. These are some of the best older barrels of traditional rye-based Bourbon we have in our inventory.”

Heaven Hill Master Distiller Craig Beam

Heaven Hill Master Distiller Craig Beam

The first 20-Year-Old Single Barrel release, which will start to appear on shelves in major metro markets in 36 states in late May or early June, will be packaged in the traditional Elijah Craig Single Barrel bottle, but with a brown face label which carries the 20-Year-Old age statement. The new 20-Year-Old version will continue to be bottled at a robust 90 proof, or 45% alcohol/volume.

Aside from the recent honor from Whisky Advocate for the special 2011 release of the 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 tremendously excited to introduce this special edition Elijah Craig 20 Year-Old into a broader market, albeit still in very limited quantities,” stated Heaven Hill Whiskey Portfolio Brand Manager Susan Wahl. “This release, and subsequent releases, will take the consumer on a tasting journey of discovery that will motivate them to move up the brand offerings, from the more widely available 12-Year-Old Elijah Craig Small Batch on through these more aged, rarer bottlings.”

 

 

Elijah Craig 20 Year Old Bourbon Review Elijah Craig 18
 

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9 Responses to “Elijah Craig 20-Year-Old Single Barrel replaces Elijah Craig 18 – suspended off shelves”

  1. RickNCONROETX

    I personally own 12 bottles of this very fine bourbon, it compares in taste to PVW 20, and is close to PVW 23. Owning 12 bottles of 1300 bottled, I own almost 1% of the World Supply of this most gracious, distilled spirit. Its great to be an American.

  2. BFitz

    @Steffen
    I have a bottle from barrel #21 so not sure how many there are.

  3. Richard

    I live in Australia and elijah craig 20 year old is not available here so I ordered a bottle online, looking forward to tasting it as I really like the 12 year old and 18 year old, It cost me $AU200 I was very disappointed in the taste, didn’t taste anywhere near as good as the 12 year old, it was a waste of my $AU200 I should of just bought 3 12 year old Elijah Craig’s

  4. Richard

    I was disappointed also when I opened the bottle as the top of the lid came away from the cork. my bottle was barrelled 3.19.91 barrel number 17. The 20 year taste ok but definitely not great

  5. Mark

    I’m looking forward to the re-release of the 18-year. I’m not interested in spending $130 for a bottle of bourbon. Please, give us our EC 18 back!

  6. Mark C.

    I cracked open my last bottle of 18 Year last night and I am dissapointed it is gone. PLEASE BRING IT BACK !!!!!

  7. Robert Feuerlein

    I am a german living in the Philippines. Elijah Craig 12 is what I tell my Scotish Single Malt drinking friends in Germany to bring me when they visit. My choice of Whisky wherever I am in the World…

  8. mark knepoer

    I have the 22 year old just released only 400 bottles can only get at heaven hill it iS heavenly