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Ancient Age vs Elijah Craig Small Batch
Put Ancient Age next to Elijah Craig Small Batch and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against a classic, corn-forward stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Ancient Age | Elijah Craig Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 94 proof (47% ABV) +14 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$14 – $18 ~$16 less | ~$28 – $35 |
- Ancient Age does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Ancient Age
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Ancient Age Elijah Craig Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 3/7 oak: Ancient Age 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10
heat 2/4 heat: Ancient Age 2 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Ancient Age 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10
spice 4/5 spice: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Ancient Age: The bottom rung of the Buffalo Trace ladder and priced accordingly. Thin and simple at 80 proof, but it is recognisably the Mash Bill #2 recipe and it does its job in a highball without complaint.
- Elijah Craig Small Batch: A heavily oak-driven pour for the money, with vanilla bean and brown sugar riding on top of real char and smoke. The extra age shows up as wood depth rather than harshness.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Ancient Age if you want the cheapest honest mixer in the lineup and you are not drinking it neat.
- Go with Elijah Craig Small Batch if you want the best oak-forward value on the shelf, with more wood character than its price suggests with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball (Ancient Age); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch).