Elijah Craig just dropped a Ryder Cup bourbon with a New York twist
The Ryder Cup isn't just another golf tournament—it's one of the biggest spectacles for the sport. Every two years, the best players from the U.S. square off against Europe in a team battle that's equal parts skill, strategy, and bragging rights. This year the drama lands at Bethpage Black in New York, a notoriously tough course with a 'warning' sign at the first tee and a reputation for humbling even the pros.
A Bourbon With New York Roots
This isn't just a label swap. Elijah Craig took its fully matured Small Batch Bourbon and gave it a finishing touch inspired by the Empire State. The whiskey rested on toasted staves made from 75% sugar maple and 25% applewood—with sugar maple being New York's official tree. After eight weeks, the liquids were vatted together and bottled at 94 proof (47% ABV).
According to the brand, the flavor profile leans into fall: maple syrup and apple pie on the nose, candy apples and caramel on the palate, and a warm finish of chocolate, cocoa, and pepper. In short, it's as much autumn-in-a-glass as it is a golf tie-in.
Road to Ryder Cup
Elijah Craig isn't stopping with the bottle. At Bethpage Black, the brand will run an Elijah Craig Speakeasy in the Fan Zone, serving signature cocktails while fans watch the matches. The official drink of the Ryder Cup, The Mulligan, mixes Elijah Craig with iced tea and lemonade, topped with a lemon slice and a tiny flag pin that looks like a hole-in-one.
And yes—you can just as easily make it at home if you've got a bottle nearby.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Steep one green tea bag in 3 oz. of Elijah Craig Bourbon for 10 minutes. Fill highball glass with ice. Pour lemonade in a highball glass over ice. Top with soda water. Float 2 oz. of tea-infused Bourbon on top. Stir & sip.
Pro Tip:
For a unique spin on this refreshing golf cocktail, try steeping with other popular tea flavors like Peach, Lavender, or Earl Grey.
A Collectible for Fans
The packaging is as much a draw as what's inside. Each 750 ml bottle comes with a natural cork and gold-sealed wood cap embossed with the Ryder Cup logo, plus a commemorative box that looks right at home on a bar cart. At a suggested retail of $69.99, it's a collector's piece that's still within reach for anyone who wants a special pour for tournament week.
This release is also another step in Elijah Craig's deepening ties with golf. The brand sponsors PGA TOUR pros J.T. Poston and Amanda Balionis, while Ryder Cup Team Europe's Bob MacIntyre is back as a brand ambassador.
The Spark of Innovation
The brand's namesake, Reverend Elijah Craig, was more than just a distiller—he was a Baptist preacher, educator, and entrepreneur who helped shape early Georgetown, Kentucky, by building its first paper and wool mills. But it was his knack for whiskey-making that secured his place in spirits history.
In 1789, Craig became the first distiller to age whiskey in new charred oak barrels. Legend has it that the discovery came either from a warehouse fire that charred his casks or from experimenting with reusing sugar barrels by burning them clean. Whatever the origin, the results were revolutionary: corn whiskey transformed into a bold amber spirit with smooth, complex flavor. That innovation earned him the title still used today—the Father of Bourbon.
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