Compare
Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Comparing Elijah Craig Small Batch and Jack Daniel’s 12 Year is a closer contest than it looks — both are traditional bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$28 – $35 vs. ~$80 – $120).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Small Batch | Jack Daniel’s 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 107 proof (53.5% ABV) +13 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$28 – $35 ~$69 less | ~$80 – $120 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- 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.
Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 6 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 8 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Jack Daniel’s 12 Year: Twelve-year Jack Daniel's at 107 proof. Sweet and creamy, with butterscotch, pipe tobacco and seasoned oak.
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 Jack Daniel’s 12 Year if you want a sweet, creamy, well-aged Jack Daniel's with pipe tobacco and oak with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); neat, rocks (Jack Daniel’s 12 Year).