Orphan Barrel Lost Prophet 22 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

22 years. Distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Lost Prophet — Orphan Barrel's Buffalo Trace heritage expression, named for the legend of Elijah Craig, the Baptist minister who legend credits with inventing charred oak barrel aging in 1789.

The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Co. was established by Diageo to find and bottle exceptional aged American whiskeys discovered in the backs of distillery rickhouses. Lost Prophet is the Orphan Barrel expression distilled at Buffalo Trace — making it a fundamentally different provenance from the Stitzel-Weller heritage releases like Barterhouse. Where Barterhouse draws from the Van Winkle family's Louisville operation, Lost Prophet draws from Frankfort's Buffalo Trace production.

At 22 years and 125.7 proof, Lost Prophet is one of the older and more powerful Orphan Barrel expressions. The Buffalo Trace high-rye mashbill at 22 years produces the deep oak integration, dried fruit, and leather complexity of extended maturation — while the 125.7 proof delivers that character at near-barrel-strength intensity. The "Lost Prophet" name references the Elijah Craig legend, connecting this expression to the mythological founding of American bourbon's defining practice.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Very deep amber from 22 years of Buffalo Trace barrel contact.
• Nose: Dried fruit, aged oak, caramel, and warm rye spice — the Buffalo Trace character at 22-year maturity and near-barrel-strength intensity.
• Palate: Rich and concentrated — deep oak integration, dried fruit, leather, and the Buffalo Trace high-rye character fully developed at 22 years.
• Finish: Long and evolving — the extended maturation producing a finish that rewards patience.

Specs

• Distilled at: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky
• Bottled by: Orphan Barrel Whiskey Co. (Diageo)
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: 22 years
• Proof: 125.7 (62.85% ABV)
• Size: 750ml

Explore all Orphan Barrel expressions or browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is Lost Prophet significant among Orphan Barrel releases? Most celebrated Orphan Barrel expressions (Barterhouse, Old Blowhard, Rhetoric) draw from Stitzel-Weller or other non-Buffalo Trace heritage stocks. Lost Prophet is distilled at Buffalo Trace — giving it direct provenance from one of America's most respected active distilleries rather than a closed one.
• What is the Elijah Craig connection? Elijah Craig was a Baptist minister credited by legend with first aging whiskey in charred oak barrels in 1789 — the practice that defines bourbon. The "Lost Prophet" name references Craig's status as the prophetic founding father of bourbon, whose practice was "lost" to history before being rediscovered. Heaven Hill's Elijah Craig line honors the same legacy.
• How does Lost Prophet compare to Orphan Barrel Barterhouse? Barterhouse is 20 years from Stitzel-Weller with a high-barley, low-rye mashbill. Lost Prophet is 22 years from Buffalo Trace with a high-rye mashbill — older, higher proof, and from a completely different production heritage.
• Is Lost Prophet still available? A limited find. Orphan Barrel releases are not restocked once exhausted.