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Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Elijah Craig Small Batch and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Small Batch | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 9 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 120 proof (60% ABV) +26 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$28 – $35 ~$19 less | ~$45 – $55 |
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 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.
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 4/8 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
nuttiness 4/7 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
spice 5/7 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
fruit 4/3 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve: The same nine-year Knob Creek juice bottled from a single barrel at 120 proof, and the extra strength suits it. Everything the standard bottling does, turned up — with the barrel-to-barrel variation that comes with the format.
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 Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve if you want the Beam profile at serious proof for well under what most barrel-strength bourbons cost.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve).