What is the difference?

[barrelslime]

What is the difference between Small Batch and Single Barrel?  Single Barrel I think is self explanatory.  I guess I need an explanation of Small Batch.

[flahute]

55 minutes ago, barrelslime said:

What is the difference between Small Batch and Single Barrel?  Single Barrel I think is self explanatory.  I guess I need an explanation of Small Batch.

Small batch is any combination of 2 or more barrels. There is no legal definition for the term so it could be as many as 400 barrels (or even more).

 

[barrelslime]

Thank you sir

[Kpiz]

Maybe this is too much info but...In the January 30th episode of WhiskyCast, they speak with folks from Heaven Hill who say that Elijah Craig, which is marketed as a "small batch" bourbon, used to be produced in 70 barrel batches. While I never personally had a bad batch of EC, it was notoriously inconsistent from batch to batch. Since they removed the age statement, they're now doing 200 barrel batches (which they say is "still pretty small").

[barrelslime]

So as far as consistency is concerned, would small batch or single barrel be more consistent from bottle to bottle? 

[VAGentleman]

Small batch as they can mix in an array of barrels to get a flavor they are looking for.  Single Barrel, thats it.  It is what it is

[petrel800]

From a legal standpoint, neither has any legal definition under the law when it comes to bourbon.  Sku did a nice blog post about this awhile back . . .

 

http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2014/02/whats-in-label-undefined-whiskey-terms.html

 

Basically your definition and my definition could be completely different.  For example . . .

 

ER10 used to be a "single barrel,"  the most recent label, the "single barrel" term was removed by BT.  The reasoning was that the bottling was moved to a different bottling line and there was a possibility as barrels were dumped and bottled that there could be some mingling in the lines as one barrel would run out and a new barrel was coming in.  BT decided that in there definition while it still was basically a "single barrel" they felt this mingling was enough to remove the term by their definition.  Jim Beam on the other hand bottles Knob Creek Single Barrel and fills as many bottles as they can, but obviously there is always a little left over that won't fill a bottle.  They in turn use the left over bourbon to wash out the new bottles before filling to remove dust . . . etc from the bottle.  Obviously while they just spray the new bottle, there is a very very small amount of the left over bourbon in the bottle when it is then filled with the next barrel.  While there could be a small amount of mingling, they still label their bourbon a "single barrel."  Who's right, who's wrong . . . I have no opinion because I enjoy them both.

[B.B. Babington]

I thought small batch was when you wanted to double your price and single barrel was when you wanted triple or quadruple the price.

[Richnimrod]

On 4/30/2016 at 5:46 PM, B.B. Babington said:

I thought small batch was when you wanted to double your price and single barrel was when you wanted triple or quadruple the price.

HA...    HA   ....HA!!!!

That's probably as good an explanation as you'll ever read.

[GaryT]

Absolutely any number of barrels (including 1) can be labeled small batch.  Not sure if the new label still does, but the "Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Small Batch" redundancy was grist for the mill for a while here when it came out.  I think BB's explanation is as close to the truth as you'll find.  

 

When doing distillery tours, some will tell you the batch size that makes up their "small batch".  So if there is a particular label you're trying to learn more about, search around and you may find the answer (or some approximation). 

[GTD]

I had a discussion with a store owner recently about 1792 Small Batch that was a store select pick. It was technically a single barrel since the store only bought 1 barrel but it still had small batch on the label.  Go figure

[flahute]

2 hours ago, GTD said:

I had a discussion with a store owner recently about 1792 Small Batch that was a store select pick. It was technically a single barrel since the store only bought 1 barrel but it still had small batch on the label.  Go figure

Usually when that happens, there's a sticker on the bottle stating it to be a single barrel/store pick. Not sure what 1792 does.

[flahute]

2 hours ago, GTD said:

I had a discussion with a store owner recently about 1792 Small Batch that was a store select pick. It was technically a single barrel since the store only bought 1 barrel but it still had small batch on the label.  Go figure

Follow on comment: the reason they use the sticker is because they aren't going to run special labels that say "single barrel" just for store picks as that would require a separate approval from the TTB and added cost. Much easier to use a sticker for those special situations.

[GaryT]

4 hours ago, flahute said:

Follow on comment: the reason they use the sticker is because they aren't going to run special labels that say "single barrel" just for store picks as that would require a separate approval from the TTB and added cost. Much easier to use a sticker for those special situations.

 

And I suspect part of the reason they created the new 1792 Single Barrel label, with a slightly higher proof (allows them to charge more, and to differentiate the produce more easily).  Sazerac in general uses the label as far as I know (same coin sticker on BT, ETL, OWA picks - even though ETL is already a single barrel).  

[flahute]

10 hours ago, darylld911 said:

 

And I suspect part of the reason they created the new 1792 Single Barrel label, with a slightly higher proof (allows them to charge more, and to differentiate the produce more easily).  Sazerac in general uses the label as far as I know (same coin sticker on BT, ETL, OWA picks - even though ETL is already a single barrel).  

[smacks forehead]

I forgot that they created a single barrel label. Haven't seen it here yet so it's out of site, out of mind.

Once they are fully ramped up with that, I suppose they'll probably use those for store picks in the future.

[GaryT]

13 hours ago, flahute said:

[smacks forehead]

I forgot that they created a single barrel label. Haven't seen it here yet so it's out of site, out of mind.

Once they are fully ramped up with that, I suppose they'll probably use those for store picks in the future.

 

I haven't seen it yet either (just remember seeing Sku post the TTB for it, and having the option recently to have a private pick bottled under that label/proof, or the "small batch" label/proof).  Although, I suspect there will still be a sticker on the single barrel label, just to show whose pick it was (when it is a private pick).  I'm not sure if once this is fully ramped stores will be driven to just the SB label or not though (they may have given us the option since it is new still, or they may let stores pick since the proofs and price points are different).  

[squire]

Umm, ok, the words 'small batch Bourbon' mean about as much as 'craft beer'.  Which is to say not much except in the marketing sense.

 

The truth, as always, is in blind tasting, a six sample flight.  And I mean blind as in the tasters have no idea if what's on the table is wheat or rye recipe Bourbons or even a blend.  The tasters also have to expel the drink without swallowing and cleanse their palate with water between samples.  Can't speak for the rest of you chaps but if I swallow by the third two ounce pour the rest tastes pretty good.

 

Try any single barrel/small batch/boutique label against the standard brands in a blind tasting then decide if it's worth twice the price.