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Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Comparing Elijah Craig Small Batch and Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish is a closer contest than it looks — both are traditional bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$28 – $35 vs. ~$90 – $130).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Small Batch | Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) +3 proof | 91.4 proof (45.7% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$28 – $35 ~$79 less | ~$90 – $130 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 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.
Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10
spice 5/4 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 5 out of 10
heat 4/4 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 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.
- Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish: The standard Michter's bourbon given a second toasted barrel, which adds sweetness and wood to an already polished pour. Genuinely good, though the price has drifted well past what the liquid alone justifies.
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 Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish if you want the smoothest, most polished toasted-barrel pour here and price is not the deciding factor with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); neat (Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish).