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Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Elijah Craig Small Batch and Smooth Ambler Old Scout sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus a sourced, rye-forward blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Small Batch | Smooth Ambler Old Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$28 – $35 ~$14 less | ~$40 – $50 |
- 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.
Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/7 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line 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.
- Smooth Ambler Old Scout: Sourced MGP bourbon selected and bottled in West Virginia, and one of the more honest sourced brands about exactly what it is. The characteristic MGP dill-and-pepper signature, cleanly presented.
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 Smooth Ambler Old Scout if you want the classic MGP high-rye profile from a bottler that has always been upfront about sourcing.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Smooth Ambler Old Scout).