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Elijah Craig Small Batch vs Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Elijah Craig Small Batch and Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond are cut from similar cloth: two takes on traditional bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$28 – $35 vs. ~$16 – $22).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Small Batch | Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$28 – $35 | ~$16 – $22 ~$13 less |
- Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 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.
Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Small Batch Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/5 oak: Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- 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.
- Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond: A bonded 100-proof bourbon at a price that barely seems possible, though distribution is patchy outside Kentucky. Unremarkable in the best way: it does everything a bourbon should and nothing extra.
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 Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded Kentucky bourbon for under twenty dollars, if you can find it in your state with slightly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond).