Simple by design, it’s a drink that doesn’t leave much room to hide: good bourbon, a little sugar, bitters, ice and an orange peel. Get the balance right and, well, there’s not much else you need.
From 9th–18th October, we’re raising a glass to one of the greats for Old Fashioned Week, alongside our friends at Elijah Craig, who are raising money for Hospitality Action – a charity close to our hearts, supporting people from our industry when they need it most.
The Old Fashioned has been with us from the very beginning, happily making its way around our vintage cocktail trolleys ever since. So, ahead of the week, we caught up with Elijah Craig to talk bourbon, barrels, orange peel and what makes a great riff on a classic.
For those who might not know Elijah Craig, how would you describe the brand and what makes it distinctive?
Elijah Craig is a classic Kentucky Straight Bourbon built on craftsmanship, rich heritage, and an uncompromised commitment to flavor. What sets us apart is our dedication to a heavy Level 4 char on our barrels and our traditional small batch process, batching 200 barrels or fewer to deliver a full-bodied, signature flavor profile rich in vanilla, sweet oak, and warm spice.
Elijah Craig is often known as the ‘Father of Bourbon’. What’s the story behind that, and how does that history still influence the bourbon you make today?
In 1789, Reverend Elijah Craig, a Baptist minister and pioneer distiller in Kentucky, became the first distiller to age his whiskey in charred oak barrels. That accidental stroke of genius transformed clear unaged spirit into a rich, amber, caramel-forward whiskey. Today, we carry that same pioneering spirit into every bottle, maintaining strict standards for barrel charring and master-blend consistency.
Barrel ageing is a big part of what gives bourbon its character. What does the charred oak bring to Elijah Craig Small Batch?
The intense charring creates a natural layer of caramelised wood sugars that the spirit continuously pulls from during aging. This process infuses Elijah Craig Small Batch with its deep copper hue alongside luscious notes of sweet corn, rich vanilla, dark fruit, and a distinct toasted oak warmth that balances the sweet grain notes.
The Old Fashioned is a wonderfully simple cocktail, so the whiskey really has to do the talking. What makes Elijah Craig such a good match for it?
Bottled at 87 proof (43.5% abv), Elijah Craig Small Batch has the structural backbone needed to hold up against ice and dilution. Its robust profile of vanilla, nutmeg, and warm charred wood integrates seamlessly with bitters and sugar without getting lost in the glass.
There are plenty of opinions on what makes a ‘proper’ Old Fashioned. What’s your approach and is there one ingredient or technique you think makes all the difference?
Keep it understated and let the spirit shine. Expressing a fresh orange peel over the top to release its essential oils right before serving makes all the difference, delivering a burst of fresh citrus aroma that lifts the deep oak and vanilla notes of the bourbon before your very first sip.
Beyond the Old Fashioned, what’s one thing you’d love someone discovering Elijah Craig for the first time to know about the brand?
Every drop is produced with time-honored patience by Heaven Hill Distillery, one of the few remaining family-owned, independent American whiskey distilleries in Kentucky. When you pour Elijah Craig, you’re enjoying authentic, uncompromised Kentucky craftsmanship.
And to wrap things up, what makes a great riff on the Old Fashioned?
When you introduce comforting elements like peanut butter, dark cocoa, or coffee bean, you bridge the gap for drinkers who typically are hesitant to the classic, due to the whiskey forward. A Peanut Butter or Coffee-Chocolate Old Fashioned wraps those bold oak and grain notes in a dessert-like finish, transforming a traditional whiskey cocktail into an inviting, indulgent sip that appeals even to non-bourbon drinkers.
Here’s to the Old Fashioned
We’ll be serving our own take on the classic throughout Old Fashioned Week, from 9th–18th October, alongside Elijah Craig – from the original to our own Blacklock twist.
And, most importantly, every Old Fashioned served will help us raise money for Hospitality Action, supporting the people behind the hospitality industry we all know and love.
So whether you like yours classic, pecan, honey-laced or with a little Blacklock love, we’ll see you at the trolley.
Chop Love,
Blacklock