Elijah Craig 23 Year Prefire Barrel #192, bottled November 11, 2016, is one of the most historically significant releases in American bourbon a surviving barrel from the legendary Heaven Hill Bardstown distillery fire of November 7, 1996. The “Prefire” designation indicates this bourbon was distilled and barreling before the catastrophic fire that destroyed 90,000 barrels and the production facility itself. At 23 years old when bottled on 11/11/2016, this bourbon was distilled in or before 1993 making it true pre-fire Heaven Hill distillate that survived the disaster and continued aging for two decades.

The November 7, 1996 Heaven Hill fire is one of the most documented events in bourbon history burning for a week, destroying 6-7 warehouses, and sending flaming barrels of bourbon rolling down Loretto Road as the bourbon creek caught fire. Barrels that survived became the rarest surviving records of pre-fire Heaven Hill character. Elijah Craig 23 Year releases from this era are among the most sought-after bottles in American whiskey for both their exceptional age and their irreplaceable historical significance.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Intense antique oak, dark caramel, leather, tobacco, dried cherry, dark chocolate 23 years of Heaven Hill character fully realized
• Palate: Extraordinarily concentrated toffee, charred barrel, dried fruit, deep wood spice, dark chocolate, massive body
• Finish: Extremely long, drying, oak-dominant with lingering sweetness and warmth one of the longest finishes in American bourbon

Product Details

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Heaven Hill fire and why does it matter?

On November 7, 1996, a fire broke out at Heaven Hill’s Bardstown distillery, ultimately destroying the production facility and approximately 90,000 barrels of aging bourbon. The fire burned for over a week, and the images of flaming bourbon rolling down roads became iconic. Barrels that survived are a finite, irreplaceable record of Heaven Hill’s pre-fire distillate the same mash bills and production methods that produced some of the most beloved bourbon of the 20th century, before the facility was rebuilt at a different location.

How rare are Elijah Craig 23 Year pre-fire barrels?

Extremely rare. The surviving pre-fire barrels have been releasing in very limited quantities for decades as Heaven Hill slowly bottles the remaining aged stock. Each pre-fire release represents one fewer barrel of irreplaceable inventory. By 2024, these barrels are effectively gone from the market the supply has been largely depleted across all releases through the early 2020s.

Why is the bottling date November 11, 2016 notable?

November 11, 2016 is exactly 20 years and 4 days after the November 7, 1996 fire. The proximity to the fire’s anniversary is generally understood to be intentional a way of marking the 20th anniversary of the disaster with a bottling from surviving pre-fire stock. The date adds specific collector documentation and historical resonance to Barrel #192.

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