If there’s one thing whiskey marketers love, it’s a good story. And when it comes to bourbon, few stories feel as pertinent as the individual who created the beloved brown spirit in the first place. Even if said tale could be utterly fabricated.

The supposed story of Reverend Elijah Craig, a Baptist preacher from the mid-late 1700s, might just be the most oft-repeated one with regard to bourbon’s origins. One version postulates that a fire broke out at his distillery (opened in 1789) and that he used some of the burnt wood to transport whiskey, earning a reputation as the “Red Liquor from Bourbon County.” Another iteration is that he stored whiskey in barrels that previously held sugar. Regardless of the factual events, the team at Heaven Hill has adopted the tale as their own to tell. It’s also one that’s shifted a bit for whiskey consumers over time.

Initially introduced as a 12-year bourbon in the now-popular “pirate bottle” shape, Elijah Craig has seen several expansions and shifts as a product line. These include a more streamlined, contemporary bottle and label design, the gradual removal of a 12-year age statement (mostly recently for the Barrel Proof in 2023), and the addition of the likes of the 18-Year, 23-Year, Toasted Barrel, and Rye.

I’ll be examining the standard bourbon in its current form today. The whiskey is aged for an undisclosed amount of time in level 3 charred oak barrels before being bottled at 47% ABV. The mash bill features a particularly corn-heavy recipe with malted barely being the secondary grain (as opposed to rye). Retail pricing for a bottle hovers between $25-$35.

Nose: Peanut, Brown Butter, Light Brown Sugar, Vanilla

Sweet, Creamy, Approachable

Palate: Peanut Brittle, Roasted Corn, White Pepper, Caramel

Thin, Warm, Simple

Finish: Light Brown Sugar, Oak, Vanilla, Honey

Short, Mild, Balanced

Elijah Craig provides nothing more or less than a pedestrian drinking experience. From the typical Heaven Hill profile of slightly sweet and lightly buttery nut-like notes to the unremarkable consistency and somewhat bitter finish, it’s a textbook bourbon profile. Considering its shelf position, these results are hardly surprising. However, considering Elijah Craig’s history as a former 12-year age-stated product, it’s easy to examine its modern iteration more scrutinously. To say this drinks anywhere near the vicinity of 12 years feels overly generous—I’d be surprised if the average age is beyond seven.

Where Elijah Craig lands on your spectrum will likely correspond to your experience and expectations. Newcomers may find a competent, neat pour in it, while the more versed crowd are likely to shrug it off like a well-worn sports car on the highway. I’ve never been partial to this particular Heaven Hill product, and the indifference continues to this day. I can only surmise that between the current quality of Elijah Craig at 94 proof, the consistency of the Barrel Proof line, and the reputation of older bottlings, the bourbon stands as little more than a shadow of its former iterations.