Remarkable cocktails require exceptional ingredients. This is especially true for traditional, spirit-forward ones like the Old Fashioned, which blends whiskey, bitters, and sugar to create a full-bodied flavor that’s meant to be sipped and savored.
Considered one of the most important cocktails of all time by bartenders and historians alike, the Old Fashioned traces its roots to the original 19th-century definition of the word “cocktail.” This mixture of base spirit, bitters, and sugar became wildly popular, prompting bartenders to create new versions with varied ingredients. Eventually, customers who preferred the original recipe made with whiskey were requesting that the cocktail be made “the old-fashioned way.” Over time, the name became official and while the basic recipe has remained, the ingredients and spirits used for it have evolved.
As whiskeys became more cultivated, bourbon became the preferred base spirit for Old Fashioned recipes, and discerning customers typically order theirs by name brand. Elijah Craig is one of the most requested bourbons — for Old Fashioneds and for sipping neat. It’s named after Reverend Elijah Craig, who was renowned for his skill as a distiller and for his commitment to innovation. In 1789, he became the first distiller to age his whiskey in new charred oak barrels — etching his name into history as the “Father of Bourbon”.
Elijah Craig has embraced one of the world’s oldest cocktails as its signature sipper, and now hosts Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week® every October as the ultimate celebration of a drink so beloved that it was selected as the official cocktail of Louisville, Ky. Elijah Craig’s fifth celebration will take place from Oct. 11 through Oct. 20, 2024. In addition to encouraging people of legal age to experiment with creating and sharing their own Old Fashioned recipes, the brand will allow them to create their own Old Fashioned Week itinerary via the “Find A Bar” page on OldFashionedWeek.com. Elijah Craig will also donate $1 (up to $100,000) for every Old Fashioned sold at participating bars to the Southern Smoke Foundation, which helps food and beverage industry workers in times of need.
In addition, Elijah Craig is partnering with VinePair to hold its A New Era of the Old Fashioned Cocktail Contest, which invites bartenders to add a new twist to the classic Old Fashioned recipe for a chance to win up to $15,000, to be featured on VinePair.com, and to have their cocktail listed in Elijah Craig’s “Old Fashioned Week Cocktail Companion: Volume 2” recipe book. Entries will be accepted from Aug. 15, 2024 to Nov. 1, 2024, and in November, 10 semifinalists will be selected to submit a video of their cocktail presentation. Five finalists will then be chosen to compete in a live competition in Kentucky.
To enter, contestants must submit an image of their new take on the Old Fashioned featuring Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon or Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey, as well as an explanation of the thought process and inspiration for the cocktail. Entries will be judged on flavor, aroma, balance, appearance, and creativity, as well as innovation, a core value at Elijah Craig and a key factor in this competition. The competition is open to bartenders based in the United States. However, individual state liquor laws apply. Check the website to see if your state is legally eligible to participate.
Judges for this competition include editors and industry experts, such as VinePair’s co-founder and CEO Adam Teeter, who is recognized as an authority on wine and cocktails and is a winner of the Left Bank Bordeaux Cup American Wine-Tasting Championship. VinePair’s editor in chief and VinePair Podcast co-host, Joanna Sciarrino will also be among the judges, and so will Lynn House, the national spirits specialist and portfolio mixologist for Heaven Hill Brands. In addition to representing the entire Heaven Hill portfolio, including Elijah Craig, House also oversees brand and spirit education, cocktail development, and cocktail trend identification. She was recently recognized as the 2023 American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year by the Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky Awards.
Just as the Old Fashioned is a perfect vehicle for highlighting and showcasing the nuanced flavor profiles of Elijah Craig’s whiskeys, the Old Fashioned Cocktail Competition will highlight the ingenuity and expertise of talented bartenders.
Click here to submit your cocktail to the 2024 A New Era of the Old Fashioned Cocktail Contest.
This article is sponsored by Elijah Craig.
