The fourth annual Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week raised a total of $100,000 for the Southern Smoke Foundation, — a non profit organization dedicated to supporting food and beverage workers in need.  This year, more than 7,000 bars and restaurants participated in the 10-day celebration– that’s 3,114 MORE than last year, and over 5,000 more than 2021!

Locations showcased a variety of Elijah Craig Old Fashioneds on their cocktail menus, giving consumers the opportunity to raise a glass with a beloved classic, while raising money for a great cause. Elijah Craig pledged to donate $1 for every Old Fashioned sold to the Southern Smoke Foundation.

Since its inception in 2020, Elijah Craig has donated over $400,000 in support for the hospitality industry, by way of donations to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation and Southern Smoke Foundation. As a brand with deep ties to the hospitality industry, continuing a partnership with an organization like Southern Smoke is quite meaningful.

“While every donation is valued, it’s significant ones like the $100,000 from Elijah Craig that really move the needle in the support we can offer to members of the food and beverage industry when they are in need,” said Southern Smoke Founding Director Chris Shepherd. “We are so appreciative of the continued partnership and Elijah Craig’s Old Fashioned Week for bringing added attention to our efforts.”

Elijah Craig invited bartenders to submit their most exciting riffs on the Old Fashioned in a nationwide competition to name the ultimate innovators of the classic cocktail. Submissions are judged by a panel of experts- two of our very own, Old Fashioned Week Host and National Heaven Hill Portfolio Mixologist Lynn House, and East Coast Whiskey Ambassador, Richard Fiorillo. One winning bartender will take home $5,000 and be published alongside some of the industry’s biggest names in Elijah Craig’s first-edition cocktail book.

Consumers in Charlotte, Dallas, Louisville, and San Diego were encouraged to collect unique NFT digital collectibles during Old Fashioned Week. The multi-city program, still taking place in, allows consumers to claim a unique piece of Old Fashioned-inspired digital art that will provide the keys to unlock Elijah Craig rewards. This is Elijah Craig’s first entrance into digital collectibles and is the brand’s first NFT Collection, created in partnership with Bevalty.

Elijah Craig’s fourth annual Old Fashioned Week proved to be the most impactful year yet with a record number of bar signups, an increase in media impressions and the introduction of interactive elements both in the industry and consumers, including the bartender competition and NFT program.