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Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Eagle Rare 12 Year
Elijah Craig Small Batch and Eagle Rare 12 Year are cut from similar cloth: two takes on traditional bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$28 – $35 vs. ~$50 – $80).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Small Batch | Eagle Rare 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$28 – $35 ~$34 less | ~$50 – $80 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Eagle Rare 12 Year 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.
Eagle Rare 12 Year
Top 3, behind George T. Stagg and Jack Daniel's 14.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Eagle Rare 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 4/6 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 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.
- Eagle Rare 12 Year: Two more years and five more proof points than Eagle Rare 10. Brown sugar and toffee lead, with a drier, more astringent oak finish.
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 Eagle Rare 12 Year if you want an older, richer step up from Eagle Rare 10 with more brown sugar and oak.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year).