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Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year vs Elijah Craig Small Batch
Comparing Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year and Elijah Craig Small Batch is a closer contest than it looks — both are traditional bourbons, separated mainly by proof (100 vs. 94).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year | Elijah Craig Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$35 – $45 | ~$28 – $35 ~$9 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year Elijah Craig Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 5/4 heat: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
nuttiness 5/4 nuttiness: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 6 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 7 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land close together on every flavor axis — the differences are in texture and proof more than character.
- Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year: Seven years, bonded, and priced sensibly — the specification sheet reads like something from twenty years ago. Balanced and oak-leaning without ever getting heavy.
- 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.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year if you want a bonded, age-stated Kentucky bourbon that gets the fundamentals right for under forty dollars with slightly more proof behind it.
- 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.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch).