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Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat
Elijah Craig Small Batch and Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus a new-wave, wheat-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Small Batch | Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 53% corn, 39% wheat, 8% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 6 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 106 proof (53% ABV) +12 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$28 – $35 ~$21 less | ~$50 – $55 |
- 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 Origin Series High Wheat
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 4/8 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 8 out of 10
spice 5/3 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 3 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/2 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 2 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 7 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- 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 Origin Series High Wheat: Because wheat makes up a massive 39% of the mash bill, this pour trades the aggressive spice of rye for a softer, oily mouthfeel. Expect bright fruit notes like ripe apricot and lemon on the nose, transitioning to pastry dough, light oak, and a creamy creme brulee sweetness balanced by a mild peppery backbone.
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 Origin Series High Wheat if you want a softer, fruit-forward, contemporary profile with a richer, oily texture and lower emphasis on traditional oak with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); neat, rocks (Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat).