Old Fashioned Week

Elijah Craig Bourbon presents the second annual Old Fashioned Week to support the Restaurant Workers Community Foundation.

From Oct. 15-24, Elijah Craig Bourbon is holding its second annual Old Fashioned Week—a weeklong celebration at bars across the country—designed to raise $100,000 for the Restaurant Workers Community Foundation. The RWCF is an advocacy and action nonprofit created by and for restaurant workers to advocate for gender equity, racial justice, fair wages and healthy work environments in the restaurant industry. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, RWCF’s full focus is on supporting workers and small business owners.

During Old Fashioned Week, participants are invited to toast their favorite Elijah Craig Old Fashioned, while enjoying signature in-person and digital programming that highlights the quality and expert craftsmanship of the award-winning bourbon. Elijah Craig bears the name of the Reverend Elijah Craig, known as “The Father of Bourbon,” who established his distillery in 1789 on the banks of Elkhorn Creek in modern day Georgetown, Kentucky. He is credited with being the first distiller to age his bourbon in charred oak barrels.

First launched in 2020 as a means to provide relief to the hospitality industry, Elijah Craig created Old Fashioned Week and partnered with RWCF to raise $100,000 for the organization. This year, understanding that the industry is still deeply in need of support, Elijah Craig pledges to donate up to an additional $100,000 for the cause. 

During Old Fashioned Week, Elijah Craig will donate $5 for each photo of an Elijah Craig Old Fashioned that’s uploaded to Instagram using the hashtag #OldFashionedWeek and tagging @elijahcraig. Those who post will automatically be entered into the Old Fashioned Week Sweepstakes, which will select 500 winners at-random to receive an Elijah Craig Home Bar Kit (featuring Elijah Craig merchandise for creating the perfect at-home cocktail). Elijah Craig also will donate $1 for every online sweepstakes registration for the Elijah Craig Home Bar Kit. Check it out via social media and here. 

Also during Old Fashioned Week, bars across the country (from Brooklyn’s Leyenda to New Orleans’ Cure, among many others) will offer their own riffs on the Old Fashioned. More details on in-person activations, including Old Fashioned Week Bar Crawls and where to find official Elijah Craig Old Fashioneds, can be found here. 

Elijah Craig Bourbon Old Fashioned

• 2 oz. Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
• .25 oz. simple syrup
• 3 dashes of bitters
• orange swath
• 1 brandied cherry (optional)

Instructions

In a mixing glass, add bitters, simple syrup, Elijah Craig Small Batch and ice. Stir until well chilled. Strain the cocktail over a large ice cube in a double Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange peel and an optional brandied cherry. Enjoy or share with a friend using #OldFashionedWeek!