Elijah Craig has created a new Bourbon for the Ryder Cup

Most whisky buffs and even raise-a-dram-on-New-Years-drinkers will have heard of Elijah Craig - the American-made small batch bourbon is frequently on lists and roundups of some of the best brown stuff in the business.

Now, the heritage brand is entering the golf green, becoming the famous Ryder Cup’s official Bourbon. The competition is in its 45th year and will take place between 26th and 28th September in New York. And Elijah Craig is joining them with a very special guest: its new limited-edition Bourbon.

The expression is made with fully matured Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon, which has been finished in toasted staves made up of 75% toasted sugar maple and 25% toasted applewood, in a sweet nod to New York, where the competition is taking place.

The finished liquid was then aged separately over eight weeks with a final ABV of 47%. Whilst we’ve not had a chance to taste it yet, the bourbon has a flavour profile of rich maple syrup on the nose, with a decadent apple pie flavour. There are plenty of autumnal notes like caramel (a classic flavour that comes from the charred oak barrels), chocolate and cocoa for the finish, and a light candy apple.

The bottles are going for $68, keeping the good times accessible to all golf and bourbon fans. Unsurprisingly, to mark the occasion, they all come in a commemorative Ryder Cup gift box, as well as the classic natural cork and wood top seal you’d expect from a premium whisky.

Elijah Craig has also cooked up an official Ryder Cup Cocktail: The Mulligan. It’s a mix of Elijah Craig Bourbon, iced tea, and lemonade, sort of like a classier Long Island Iced tea or a summery Dark n Stormy - Light n Summery?

If you do happen to be following the competition in the States rather than watching it quietly in your living room over Sky Sports at all hours of the night (time difference is really inconvenient sometimes), then you might catch Elijah Craig’s Road to Ryder Cup road trip where they’ll be making stops along the way to engage with fans both on and off the course. And yes, that does mean free signature cocktails. Maybe it’s worth checking out how many air miles you’ve got left after all.

Whether you love a taste of Elijah Craig bourbon or you’re just a golf addict, you may want to check out the newest offering. You can get your hands on a bottle even if you’re in the UK for £43.90, so if the tickets to America are a little out of the budget, this is a good second option.

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