Elijah Craig 18 Year Prefire Barrel #3986 4-20-1990

Elijah Craig 18 Year Prefire Single Barrel Barrel #3986, distilled April 20, 1990 — a pre-1996 fire era Heaven Hill expression from the original Bardstown distillery, bottled at 90 proof after 18 years of Kentucky maturation. The 4-20-1990 barreling date places distillation 6 years before the November 1996 Heaven Hill warehouse fire that destroyed the original distillery and over 90,000 barrels.

The "Prefire" designation identifies any Heaven Hill-distilled bourbon produced before the 1996 disaster as categorically distinct from post-fire production. The fire destroyed the original Bardstown still house on November 7, 1996 — Heaven Hill subsequently moved production to Bernheim Distillery in Louisville while rebuilding, with the new Bardstown distillery not opening until 1999. Elijah Craig 18 Year Prefire Barrel #3986 is from 6 years before the fire, entirely predating the transition period.

At 18 years and 90 proof, Barrel #3986 is presented at a more accessible proof than Barrel Proof editions, bottled in the classic Elijah Craig 18 Year format that existed before Heaven Hill transitioned the expression to single barrel and barrel proof programs. The barreling date and barrel number make this individually identifiable and fully traceable.

Specs

• Distillery: Heaven Hill, Bardstown, Kentucky (original pre-fire facility)
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Single Barrel
• Age: 18 years
• Proof: 90 (45% ABV)
• Barrel: #3986
• Barreled: April 20, 1990
• Era: Pre-fire (before November 7, 1996)
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What does Prefire mean for Elijah Craig? The November 7, 1996 Heaven Hill fire destroyed the original Bardstown still house and over 90,000 barrels of aging bourbon — the largest whiskey disaster in American history. All production from the original facility is a fixed, finite set that can never be replenished. Prefire Elijah Craig from the original Bardstown distillery is distillery-provenance distinct from any post-1996 Heaven Hill production.
• What is the Elijah Craig 23 Year Prefire and how does this 18 Year compare? The Elijah Craig 23 Year Prefire expressions also in the collection are 5 years older — distilled in approximately 1985 — and represent the deepest aged Prefire expressions. The 18 Year #3986, distilled in 1990, is 5 years younger but still pre-fire and part of the same historically significant production era from the original Bardstown facility.