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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof vs Four Roses Small Batch Select
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and Four Roses Small Batch Select sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Barrel Proof | Four Roses Small Batch Select |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years +6 yr | 6 years |
| Proof | 124 proof (62% ABV) +20 proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$70 – $100 | ~$55 – $65 ~$25 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- 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.
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Four Roses Small Batch Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 4/8 fruit: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 4 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10
oak 9/6 oak: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 9 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
heat 9/6 heat: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 9 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 4 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 3 out of 10
spice 7/7 spice: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- 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.
- Four Roses Small Batch Select: Six recipes, non-chill-filtered, at 104 proof, and the most complete thing Four Roses makes at a normal price. The house fruit character with enough proof and texture to carry it.
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 an older age statement.
- Go with Four Roses Small Batch Select if you want the fullest expression of the Four Roses fruit-forward style without chasing an allocated bottle at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof); neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select).