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Bulleit Bourbon vs Jefferson’s Very Small Batch
Bulleit Bourbon and Jefferson’s Very Small Batch sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a sourced, rye-forward blend versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bulleit Bourbon | Jefferson’s Very Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) +8 proof | 82.3 proof (41.1% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 | ~$28 – $36 |
- Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 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
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Jefferson’s Very Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bulleit Bourbon Jefferson’s Very Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 7/4 spice: Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 4 out of 10
heat 4/2 heat: Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 2 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 6 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Jefferson’s Very Small Batch: A blend of sourced barrels bottled at a very gentle 82.3 proof. Easy and inoffensive, but thin enough that it is hard to recommend over bonded bottles costing less.
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 with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Jefferson’s Very Small Batch if you want an especially soft, low-proof pour and gentleness matters more than intensity.
Best enjoyed old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon); rocks, cocktails, highball (Jefferson’s Very Small Batch).