Small batch whiskey is a term usually referring to bourbon or rye whiskey, and denotes a whiskey produced by mixing the contents of a relatively small number of selected barrels.
Most producers of so-called small batch whiskeys do not provide a clear indication of what they mean by the term. The company that produces Maker's Mark says that the traditional definition is a whiskey produced using "approximately 1,000 gallons or less (20 barrels) from a mash bill of around 200 bushels of grain".[1][2][3] Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, a producer of Bourbon and Rye whiskey, uses at most 12 barrels[4] per batch for its small batch brands.
Small-batch whiskies are positioned for the upper-premium market, and are typically aged from six to nine years in oak barrels[5], but more limited series aged at least up to 23 years are also available. The majority of small-batch whiskies are produced in Kentucky, the American state most traditionally associated with whiskey (and especially with bourbon).
Examples of small-batch bourbons include 1792 Ridgemont Reserve,[6] Basil Hayden's,[5] Hudson Baby Bourbon,[7] Maker's Mark,[2][3] Rowan's Creek,[8] and Woodford Reserve.
Examples of small-batch rye whiskies include the rye bottlings of Black Maple Hill and Classic Cask. (Both of these brands have some bottlings that are bourbons and others that are rye.)