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Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel vs Four Roses Small Batch
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel and Four Roses Small Batch 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 Toasted Barrel | Four Roses Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) +4 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $80 | ~$32 – $38 ~$35 less |
| 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.
Four Roses Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Four Roses Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 9/5 oak: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 9 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10
fruit 4/7 fruit: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 8 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10
nuttiness 5/3 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 3 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10
heat 4/4 heat: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Four Roses Small Batch: Four Roses' yeast strains push this toward fruit and florals rather than wood. Red berry and cinnamon over a light body, with the rye showing up as brightness instead of bite.
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.
- Go with Four Roses Small Batch if you want a fruit-and-floral profile that stands apart from the usual caramel-and-oak template at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel); neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch).