Following the defeat of the British at the Battle of Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War, the territory west of the Appalachian mountains became known as Kentucky County. At the time, the territory was considered part of Virginia and was overseen by a military governor named John J. Bowman. In order to encourage westward expansion, Virginia issued pioneers who agreed to settle in Kentucky County “corn writs,” which granted the pioneers 60 acres of land if they agreed to settle in Kentucky and start farming corn.

One year after the defeat of the British, a Baptist minister named Elijah Craig emigrated to Fayette County (today, a part of the State of Kentucky) and purchased 1,000 acres of land in a town named Lebanon. In 1789, Craig built a distillery on his farm and is credited with being the first person to mature bourbon in charred, oak casks, earning him the title “Father of Bourbon Whiskey.”

Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey pays homage to Craig and his unique legacy. Twice barreled for added complexity, Toasted Barrel takes Elijah Craig’s award-winning Small Batch Bourbon to new heights. After it’s fully matured, this Bourbon is finished in a second, custom toasted new oak barrel, where it’s left to develop even more sweet oak flavor.

Pick up your bottle of Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon 2025 Best Whiskey today!