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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof vs Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus a new-wave, classically built craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Barrel Proof | Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 124 proof (62% ABV) +25 proof | 98.9 proof (49.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$70 – $100 | ~$55 – $70 ~$23 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 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
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 9/5 heat: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 9 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10
oak 9/6 oak: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 9 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10
spice 7/5 spice: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 7 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 7 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Elijah Craig Barrel Proof: The uncut, unfiltered version of the same 12-year Heaven Hill juice, and the intensity is the whole point. Thick fudge and char with cinnamon heat, a genuinely long finish, and enough proof that water meaningfully changes the glass.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series: A blend of Bardstown's own young distillate with older sourced Kentucky whiskey, which is exactly what the name describes. Polished and fruit-leaning, and a clear demonstration that the blending is the skill on show.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof if you want maximum intensity and oak depth, and you want to control the dilution yourself with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series if you want a well-built modern blend that shows what careful blending does rather than what age alone does at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof); neat, rocks (Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series).