Elijah Craig 20 Year Single Barrel Bourbon

20 years. Single barrel. Elijah Craig at two full decades — Heaven Hill's high-rye mashbill at 20 years of Kentucky aging, producing the deep oak integration, dried fruit, and warm spice that ultra-aged single barrel bourbon achieves.

The Elijah Craig ultra-aged single barrel range demonstrates what patience produces in Heaven Hill's high-rye program. At 20 years, the bourbon has completed two full decades of Kentucky barrel cycling — the dramatic summer heat and winter cold driving the spirit in and out of the charred oak repeatedly over 20 annual cycles, extracting the full spectrum of color, flavor, and complexity the barrel has to offer. Most bourbon is consumed at 4–12 years; at 20 years, the experience is fundamentally different.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Very deep amber with extraordinary color from 20 years of oak contact.
• Nose: Bold oak, caramel, and vanilla with the warmth of two decades of Kentucky maturation — complex aromatics that standard age bourbon cannot develop.
• Palate: Caramel, cinnamon, chocolate, and deep oak — the 20-year maturation producing a multi-layered richness alongside the residual grain character of Heaven Hill's high-rye mashbill.
• Finish: Long and bold — the oak-forward character of ultra-aged bourbon in a deeply satisfying close.

Specs

• Distillery: Heaven Hill Bernheim Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Single Barrel
• Age: 20 years
• Size: 750ml

Browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Elijah Craig ultra-aged single barrel range? Heaven Hill releases Elijah Craig at 18, 20, 21, and 23 years as exceptional barrels mature to each age point. These are not permanent annual releases but contingent expressions — released when the specific barrels reach the quality standard for that age designation.
• How does the 20 Year compare to the 18 Year? The 18 Year is the entry to the ultra-aged range. The 20 Year adds two more years of maturation — greater oak integration, deeper dried fruit, and more concentrated complexity. The gap between 18 and 20 is meaningful in a high-rye bourbon at extended age.
• Is the 20 Year still available? 1 unit in current stock.