Elijah Craig vs Buffalo Trace: The Better Buy

Elijah Craig vs Buffalo Trace—a battle of budget bourbon favorites.

These two bourbons come from well-known distilleries and are both beloved among whiskey drinkers, but they’re very different in terms of style, age, and drinking experience.

But which one is better?

And more importantly, which one delivers the best taste and value overall?

We’ll answer that and more below.

Elijah Craig vs Buffalo Trace: An Overview

Elijah Craig is a product of Heaven Hill, one of the most well-known bourbon distilleries in the world, which is situated near Bardstown. Larceny, Evan Williams, Henry McKenna, Old Fitzgerald, and others are a few of their well-known offerings.

Elijah Craig Small Batch is created with level 3 charred oak barrels, which, according to their website, gives it its distinctive spice and subtle smoke flavor. This once included a 12-year age statement but was eventually removed to meet increasing demand. 

Its mash bill contains 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, and is bottled at 94 proof.

On the other side, we have Buffalo Trace, owned by the Sazerac Company located in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Over the years, the Buffalo Trace Distillery has created an incredible variety of exceptional bourbons, many of which can still be purchased today. Some of them include Pappy, E.H. Taylor, Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, W.L. Weller, and others.

The brand’s flagship bottle, Buffalo Trace, was introduced in 1999.

BT is batched from no more than 40 barrels at a time and aged on the middle floors of various warehouses so it can experience the most temperature changes while aging.

It also is made from Buffalo Trace’s “Mashbill #1” and is bottled at 90 proof.

Elijah Craig vs Buffalo Trace: Detailed Comparison

1. Availability

Both bourbons are sold across the country. And because of their reasonable price and quality, there’s always a constant demand for these two brands. 

And as mentioned earlier, Elijah Craig even dropped its age statement for their small batch to make sure their patrons never run out of supply. 

Meanwhile, it has become considerably more challenging to get your hands on Buffalo Trace because it’s only offered on an allocation-only basis. So retailers only get a certain number of cases. That being said, some regions of the U.S. get more cases, so it’s a bit easier or more difficult to find depending on where you are.

Elijah Craig Small Batch, on the other hand, is generally very accessible. You can always spot one in many liquor stores across the country. 

Winner = Elijah Craig Small Batch

2. Price

Only a handful can compete with these two brands in the budget-bourbon category. 

In fact, both made our list of the best budget pours (under $30). 

Buffalo Trace MSRP is about $30. However, in some regions where they get less Buffalo Trace, the price for this spirit can be driven up to $50 or even $60 for 750ml.

Elijah Craig, on the other hand, is regularly offered at $30 – $34 per 750 ml. 

Based on their true price points, I’d say this round is a tie…Let’s see how they stack up with each other in the flavor department.

Winner = Tie

3. Taste

Both bourbons are great flavorwise. They’re very simple and straightforward. But they differ pretty significantly.

Elijah Craig is oak-heavy with subtle notes of caramel and vanilla. It was thinner than expected with nothing much going on. It has a warm spicy finish, but that’s it. 

No other notes really stand out. This is about the simplest, most one-track bourbon I’ve ever had. 

Buffalo Trace on the other hand is mellow and sweet and really lives up to its reputation as an easy sipper. My taste buds mostly detected vanilla flavors, with a little spice and brown sugar undertones. 

The finish is considerably more flavorful than anticipated despite being on the shorter side.

BT is undoubtedly superior in this department in my opinion.

Winner = Buffalo Trace

4. Value

For their actual price points, both bourbons are a great deal. And although I admire the simplicity and straightforwardness of Elijah Craig, it doesn’t really stand out in any way whatsoever. 

Buffalo Trace, on the other hand, isn’t the best-tasting bourbon you’ll have but it’s quite well-liked because it appeals to a wide audience. Almost anyone, regardless of expertise or taste preferences, may appreciate it.

BT is a far better value than Elijah Craig in our opinion. Even if prices vary, it’s still the better buy for casual drinkers. 

Winner = Buffalo Trace

Buffalo Trace vs. Elijah Craig: The Verdict

Buffalo Trace wins this one.

It has a sweeter flavor and is more well-balanced than Elijah Craig. Overall, Buffalo Trace is a well-rounded drink that’s why it’s a perfect entry-level bourbon.

Again, Elijah Craig Small Batch isn’t bad by any means. It’s just surprisingly average in my opinion.