Compare
Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Comparing Elijah Craig Small Batch and Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series is a closer contest than it looks — both are traditional bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$28 – $35 vs. ~$55 – $70).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Small Batch | Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 98.9 proof (49.5% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$28 – $35 ~$31 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- 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 Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 4/6 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 7 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 3 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- 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.
- 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 Small Batch if you want the best oak-forward value on the shelf, with more wood character than its price suggests.
- 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.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); neat, rocks (Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series).