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Basil Hayden’s vs Elijah Craig Small Batch
Put Basil Hayden’s next to Elijah Craig Small Batch and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against a classic, corn-forward stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Basil Hayden’s | Elijah Craig Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% 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 | ~$38 – $45 | ~$28 – $35 ~$10 less |
- Basil Hayden’s 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
Basil Hayden’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Basil Hayden’s Elijah Craig Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 3/7 oak: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10
heat 2/4 heat: Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Basil Hayden’s: Built on the high-rye Old Grand-Dad mash but bottled at just 80 proof, which makes it the lightest thing in the Beam range by a distance. Peppery and herbal, but very thin — the price reflects the packaging more than the liquid.
- 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 Basil Hayden’s if you want an unusually light, peppery, low-proof pour and you do not want any weight in the glass.
- 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 neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch).