Compare
Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Evan Williams Black Label
Comparing Elijah Craig Small Batch and Evan Williams Black Label is a closer contest than it looks — both are traditional bourbons, separated mainly by proof (94 vs. 86).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Small Batch | Evan Williams Black Label |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) +8 proof | 86 proof (43% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$28 – $35 | ~$14 – $18 ~$16 less |
- 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.
Evan Williams Black Label
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Evan Williams Black Label
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/5 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 5 out of 10
spice 5/4 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
heat 4/3 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 6 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Evan Williams Black Label: The everyday black label, and a perfectly competent well bourbon. Softer and sweeter than the bonded version, with less to say but nothing objectionable.
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 with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Evan Williams Black Label if you want a dependable, inexpensive mixing bourbon and nothing more complicated than that at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); cocktails, highball, rocks (Evan Williams Black Label).