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Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel vs Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel and Charles Goodnight Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel | Charles Goodnight Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 6 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +21 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $80 ~$8 less | ~$75 – $80 |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 4/8 heat: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10
spice 5/7 spice: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 6 out of 10
nuttiness 5/3 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 3 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 8 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10
oak 9/8 oak: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 9 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel: Finished in a second toasted (not charred) barrel, which produces an unmistakable toasted-marshmallow note. Sweet and heavily wooded, and one of the more distinctive finishes any major producer makes.
- Charles Goodnight Bourbon: A barrel-strength Texas bourbon. The hot Texas climate pulls a lot of oak in six years, giving deep wood, brown sugar and dark fruit with plenty of rye spice.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel if you want a distinctive toasted-oak, marshmallow-sweet finish you will not find in a standard bourbon at a slightly lower price point.
- Go with Charles Goodnight Bourbon if you want a bold, oak-heavy Texas bourbon at barrel strength without hunting for it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel); neat, rocks (Charles Goodnight Bourbon).