Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Is Back With Its Oldest Bourbon Since 2023

One of the world’s most popular barrel-proof bourbons is back with its second batch of 2025. And this latest Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is the oldest we’ve seen since 2023.

Produced by Kentucky-based Heaven Hill, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B525 carries an age statement of 11 years and 6 months, and it’s bottled at 126.2 proof. That’s both older (by nearly a year) and higher proof (by 8 points) than its immediate predecessor, which was released in January 2025.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon generally launches three times annually, offering one batch each in January, May, and September. The batch numbers reflect the year’s release sequence (“B” signifies the second release), the month of release (“5” represents May), and the year (in this instance, “25”).

Batches can vary significantly in proof, ranging from around 118 to as high as 140, as well as in flavor. While this bourbon was historically listed as 12 years old, since 2023, individual releases now feature their own specific age statements, a shift likely due to the changing availability of aged stock. In theory, this change also gives blenders more latitude in crafting a specific flavor profile, since they can incorporate a broader range of barrel ages. Note that age statements indicate the youngest whiskey used in a blend, and there may also be significantly older barrels included in any given batch.

Since then, most bottlings have ranged from 10.5 to 12 years old, although the new parameters also allow for age statements exceeding 12 years. For example, Batch C923 was 13 years and 7 months old, making it the oldest Elijah Craig Barrel Proof ever released. The highest proof batch on record was C914, which was bottled at a robust 140.2 proof, or 70% ABV. 

(In American whiskey parlance, anything above 140 proof is sometimes referred to as “hazmat” because it exceeds the limit for air travel allowed by the FAA in both carry-on and checked bags.)

Indeed, Batch B525 is the oldest Elijah Craig Barrel Proof we’ve seen since September 2023. As usual, it’s uncut and non-chill-filtered, which the distillery says helps “to preserve all the natural esters and taste components from the barrels to the bottle.” Like all bourbon in the Elijah Craig lineup, it’s made from Heaven Hill’s standard mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. 

Conor O’Driscoll, Heaven Hill’s master distiller, oversees the creation of each batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Speaking exclusively to Food & Wine, O’Driscoll says B525 carries aromas of “toasted oak with dried dark fruits” before revealing a palate rich in both butterscotch and dark chocolate. The finish leans toward peppery spice, orange marmalade, and warm honey.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B525 will be released nationwide starting in May, with a suggested retail price of $75.