Elijah Craig vs Buffalo Trace: What’s the Difference?

Updated March 2026.

These are two Kentucky straight bourbons from different companies. Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig Small Batch page prints 94 proof (47% ABV). Buffalo Trace’s flagship page prints 90 proof (45%) and Mash Bill #1 — not a wheat recipe. A 1.5-ounce pour is 1.18 drinks at 47% and 1.13 at 45%. This is not a 2022 winner and not a 2026 MSRP list.

Heaven Hill also prints “Age: 8-12 Years Old” as brand copy. Many current Small Batch bottles are NAS — read the label. Related: Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, small batch vs single barrel.

Proof and house, not a score

Bottle Company US proof 1.5 oz drinks
Elijah Craig Small Batch Heaven Hill 94 / 47% 1.18
Buffalo Trace Sazerac / Buffalo Trace 90 / 45% 1.13
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Heaven Hill Batch Do the math
Mash bill % Not published on these pages

A 750 mL 47% bottle is about 20 drinks; 45% is about 19. Four 94-proof pours are about 4.7 drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Hours to buy the bottle are state law. Pour math: whiskey drinks.

Sources

  • Heaven Hill Elijah Craig Small Batch: 94 Proof; Age 8–12 Years Old (brand copy).
  • Buffalo Trace Bourbon: Proof 90 (45%); Mash Bill #1. buffalotracedistillery.com.
  • TTB 27 CFR 5.143 (bourbon / straight); 5.74 (age statements). NIAAA standard drink (December 2025).

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