Compare
Jefferson’s Very Small Batch vs Eagle Rare 12 Year
Comparing Jefferson’s Very Small Batch and Eagle Rare 12 Year is a closer contest than it looks — both are traditional bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$28 – $36 vs. ~$50 – $80).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Jefferson’s Very Small Batch | Eagle Rare 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 82.3 proof (41.1% ABV) | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) +13 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$28 – $36 ~$33 less | ~$50 – $80 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Jefferson’s Very Small Batch and Eagle Rare 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
Jefferson’s Very Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Eagle Rare 12 Year
Top 3, behind George T. Stagg and Jack Daniel's 14.
Flavor Profile
Jefferson’s Very Small Batch Eagle Rare 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/7 oak: Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 4 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10
heat 2/5 heat: Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 2 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 6 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10
spice 4/5 spice: Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 4 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 5 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 3 out of 10, Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Jefferson’s Very Small Batch: A blend of sourced barrels bottled at a very gentle 82.3 proof. Easy and inoffensive, but thin enough that it is hard to recommend over bonded bottles costing less.
- Eagle Rare 12 Year: Two more years and five more proof points than Eagle Rare 10. Brown sugar and toffee lead, with a drier, more astringent oak finish.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Jefferson’s Very Small Batch if you want an especially soft, low-proof pour and gentleness matters more than intensity at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Eagle Rare 12 Year if you want an older, richer step up from Eagle Rare 10 with more brown sugar and oak with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed rocks, cocktails, highball (Jefferson’s Very Small Batch); neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year).