Elijah Craig Small Batch
Bardstown, Kentucky
Heaven Hill's standard mashbill aged long enough to carry heavy barrel extract, at 94 proof. Carried a 12 year age statement until 2016, when it was dropped.
- Aging
- New charred oak, no age statement (dropped the 12 year statement in 2016)
- Mashbill
- Corn 78%Rye 10%Malted barley 12%
- Congeners
- High
- Histamines
- Moderate
- Polyphenols
- High
- Sulfites
- Very Low
- Tannins
- High
- Sugar
- Low
- Additives
- Very Low
- Calories
- 115
- Sugar
- 0g
16.5g ethanol at 47% ABV. No sugar, so every calorie here is alcohol.
In its favor
- ✓Mashbill published in full
- ✓No additives permitted under US law
What to watch
- !Heavy barrel extract, high tannin and polyphenol
- !94 proof
- !Age statement removed in 2016, so barrel time is no longer guaranteed
Factor by factor
Congeners High ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Moderate ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols High ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Very Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins High ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Very Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
Elijah Craig Small Batch is the same 78/10/12 grain bill as Evan Williams Black, from the same distillery, and it sits a full point higher on the hangover index. The grain is not the variable. Barrel time and proof are.
The bottle carried a 12 year age statement until 2016, when Heaven Hill removed it. That is worth knowing for a reason beyond collector grumbling: without a stated age you cannot infer barrel contact, and barrel contact is the single largest driver of a bourbon’s congener load. An age statement is a chemistry disclosure whether or not it is marketed as one.
Elijah Craig Small Batch questions
How many calories are in a shot of Elijah Craig Small Batch? ▾
About 115 calories in a 1.5oz shot at 47% ABV. All of them come from the alcohol, since there is no sugar.
Does Elijah Craig Small Batch have sugar? ▾
No. Elijah Craig Small Batch has 0g of sugar per 1.5oz serving.
Is Elijah Craig Small Batch gluten-free? ▾
Not by label. Elijah Craig Small Batch is distilled from rye and barley, so US rules bar it from claiming gluten-free. Distillation does remove the gluten protein, and the Celiac Disease Foundation considers distilled spirits safe for most coeliacs. If you would rather avoid the question, pick a spirit distilled from corn, potato, grape or agave.
What is Elijah Craig Small Batch made from? ▾
Elijah Craig Small Batch is made from a mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley.
What proof is Elijah Craig Small Batch? ▾
Elijah Craig Small Batch is 94 proof, which is 47% alcohol by volume.
Does Elijah Craig Small Batch give you a bad hangover? ▾
Elijah Craig Small Batch scores 7/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 7/10 for bourbon overall. The main drivers are its congeners, polyphenols and tannins.
Is Elijah Craig Small Batch vegan? ▾
Yes. Elijah Craig Small Batch is listed as vegan, with no animal-derived ingredients or fining agents.