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Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Elijah Craig Small Batch and Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 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 | Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +21 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$28 – $35 ~$31 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- 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.
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 4/7 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 8 out of 10
spice 5/7 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 3 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- 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.
- Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style: Dense and syrupy for its age, with molasses and dark chocolate carrying a serious 115-proof punch. The high rye reads as baking spice rather than sharpness, and the body is unusually thick.
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 Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style if you want a rich, high-proof, dessert-leaning bourbon with real weight in the glass.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style).