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Bulleit Bourbon vs Elijah Craig Small Batch
Put Bulleit Bourbon next to Elijah Craig Small Batch and you have a blender-built, high-rye bottling set against a classic, corn-forward stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bulleit Bourbon | Elijah Craig Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 94 proof (47% ABV) +4 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 | ~$28 – $35 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bulleit Bourbon Elijah Craig Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 7/5 spice: Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10
oak 5/7 oak: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
heat 4/4 heat: Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
- 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 Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere.
- 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.
Best enjoyed old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch).