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Elijah Craig’s seventh annual Old Fashioned Week runs now through October 18, and this year it has a spirited new feature: the Old Fashioned Tavern Trail, a 70-stop nationwide collection of historic taverns and contemporary gathering places. Basically, great places to get your booze on.
The trail spotlights bars that keep the classic bourbon cocktail alive, from colonial-era taverns to neighborhood hangouts. The idea is to encourage drinkers to rediscover third spaces, those places where you can chat with strangers and not check your phone every 30 seconds.
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The Tavern Trail is an extension of Old Fashioned Week, which launched in 2020 as a way for Elijah Craig to support hospitality workers in need. More than 12,000 bars and other establishments participate in the annual celebration, offering their own interpretations of the Old Fashioned. During this year’s event, $1 from every Old Fashioned sold at participating establishments will go to the Southern Smoke Foundation, which provides emergency assistance and free mental health services to hospitality workers.
Elijah Craig says it has pledged more than $600,000 to Southern Smoke and other hospitality organizations through its charitable efforts in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The trail also taps into a broader appetite for analog experiences, offering an excuse to explore a historic watering hole or discover a neighborhood bar you might otherwise walk past. Of course, Elijah Craig has a vested interest in keeping bourbon at the center of the conversation—the brand takes its name from Reverend Elijah Craig, credited with being the first to char whiskey barrels to produce bourbon (though that fact's been debated). The company's Small Batch expression is the suggested base for an Old Fashioned.
Whether you’re a bourbon enthusiast or just someone who appreciates a drink with a little history, the trail offers a new way to explore America one cocktail at a time. Just remember: The best way to support hospitality workers is to tip generously, too.
Old Fashioned Week runs through October 18. You can find participating destinations through the “Find a Bar” tool here.