The Story Behind The Elijah Craig Branch Water

Elijah Craig is releasing a collection of recipes entitled Clean Cocktails catering to consumers searching for better-for-you options. The bourbon-based concoctions target modern-day drinkers with refreshing flavor profiles crafted from no-frills, high-quality ingredients. “Clean Cocktails [focuses] on quality ingredients and light, fresh flavors – no heavy syrups or mixers,” says Max Stefka, assistant vice president of global whiskey brands at Heaven Hill Brands, the parent company of Elijah Craig.

The collection’s flagship recipe is the Elijah Craig Branch Water — an updated take on Ranch Water and the 19th-century cocktail called the Bourbon and Branch. Elijah Craig portfolio mixologist Lynn House crafted the drink using Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon and Old Limestone’s Kentucky Water, a brand of water specifically designed to bring out the best flavors in bourbon.

While whiskey and other dark spirits tend to be associated with cozy days and cold temperatures, Stefka says this recipe attempts to showcase bourbon’s versatility. He explains that Small Batch suits the Elijah Craig Branch Water particularly well because it is not overly sweet and, instead, delivers warm spice and a nuance of smoke that is counterbalanced by the cocktail’s brighter elements like the citrus juice and cucumber bitters.

Drinkers hoping to bring bourbon cocktails to backyard barbecues and other sun-soaked moments can get their first look at the Branch Water recipe below.

Ingredients

1 ½ ounces Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
1 ounce fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice (or another fresh-squeezed citrus of your choice)
4 ounces spring water (limestone-filtered or other is preferred; try to avoid tap or distilled)
5 dashes of cucumber bitters
Garnish: citrus peel