Review #647 - Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon

This is the entry level bourbon bottle from Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig brand – a non age stated whisky bottled at a strength of 47% ABV (94 proof). We like that we get a slightly higher-than-average strength here compared to a lot of peers in the affordable bourbon category; on the other hand, we wish we still got an age statement on this bottle. It previously carried a 12 year age statement, but in 2016, diminishing stock levels forced Heaven Hill to begin using younger bourbon in the batches to keep up with demand.

Heaven Hill doesn’t officially disclose the mashbill that they use for Elijah Craig, but they do describe on their website that the new oak barrels used for aging this bourbon are charred to a #3 char level.

Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon

USA - Bourbon

Price: USD 27 (2025)

Age Statement: NAS

Strength: 47% ABV

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 2 years; bottles at 50%, 30%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Oaky with a strong nutty character - a light complexion, hints of peanut, vanilla. There's a bit of grain as well, and then sweeter caramel arrives. Overall, it's a bit simple.

Palate: A medium thickness mouthfeel; lots of caramel and caramel corn, as well as a nice sweet red fruit note - cherry. It leans sweet overall, and we get plenty of vanilla; oak adds a drying element, but isn't overly strong. The nutty note is still present, but it's much more mild now. Flavor density is okay - not too watery, but nothing special, either.

Finish: Nicely balanced between sweet and dry oak, with hints of cherry and grape, as well as caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla. Tannins build up over time, and we get hints of cardamom and leather in the aftertaste; it's a medium length finish.

Final Note: Nicely balanced - this is pretty solid for a standard, entry-level bourbon. In all of our tasting sessions, we found strong nutty notes in the nose, but that subsided for more vanilla and a bit of fruit in the palate. Oak is somewhat mellow or mild, but it does add a hint of maturity in the finish; it's somewhat simple, but that's expected at this price point. Decent bourbon overall.

Value here is fantastic - one of the highest we've rated. The price is very fair between $25 and $30; compared to most other bourbons at that price point, we like this one more than average. It won't blow anyone's socks off, but as a starting point, both for neat sipping and mixing, this is a great bottle.

Our Average Rating: 6.3 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 8.46

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.