What Makes a Spirit “Small Batch”?

You’ve probably seen it printed proudly across bottle labels: Small Batch Bourbon, Small Batch Gin, Small Batch Rum. It sounds premium, maybe even artisanal—but what does it actually mean? Is it just clever marketing, or does it really tell you something about the liquid in your glass?

At Boone’s Wine & Spirits, we get this question all the time, and the honest answer is: it depends. “Small batch” doesn’t have a legal definition in the U.S. That means it’s up to the producer to decide what “small” really means. One distillery’s small batch could be 10 barrels; another’s could be 200. But there are still some real clues behind the phrase—and they can tell you a lot about a spirit’s style, craftsmanship, and flavor.

At its core, “small batch” means limited production, more attention to detail, and a human touch. Instead of giant industrial tanks blending thousands of gallons at a time, a small-batch producer works in—well, smaller batches. The goal is usually consistency with character. When a distiller works in smaller runs, they can hand-select barrels, tweak recipes, and taste-test blends to create a final product that’s more nuanced than something mass-produced.

Take bourbon as an example. Many of today’s best-known small-batch bourbons—like Four Roses Small Batch or Elijah Craig—come from distilleries that blend just a handful of barrels per release. That limited blending allows the distiller to balance flavors of caramel, spice, and oak while preserving the personality of the individual barrels. A truly small batch bourbon often feels rounder and more expressive, with subtle differences from one batch to the next.

For gin, the term can point to a distiller experimenting with new botanicals or techniques. Instead of running tens of thousands of bottles off an assembly line, small-batch gins are often crafted in smaller stills, where the producer can play with herbs, citrus, florals, or even local botanicals unique to their region. (If you’ve ever tried a Colorado-made gin infused with sage or juniper from the Rockies—you’ve tasted the magic of a true small batch.)

In rum and vodka, small-batch production might focus on the raw ingredients themselves. Craft distillers often use locally grown grains, sugarcane, or potatoes and distill them multiple times in smaller copper stills to achieve a smoother, richer texture. It’s less about volume, more about care.

Now, because there’s no legal threshold for “small batch,” the phrase can sometimes get stretched by big brands. A few major distilleries use it for marketing even when they’re blending hundreds of barrels. That’s not necessarily bad—some of those blends are fantastic—but it’s good to know what you’re paying for. True small-batch producers tend to talk transparently about their process: how many barrels they use, what size their stills are, and what makes their product unique.
So how do you spot an authentic small-batch spirit?
•    Look for details: If the label mentions the batch number or bottle number, that’s a solid sign.
•    Research the distillery: Smaller producers love sharing their process online or on social media.
•    Ask us at Boone’s: We know which “small batch” claims actually mean what they say.

Supporting small-batch spirits also means supporting creativity. These distillers are the experimenters—the ones aging whiskey in wine barrels, infusing rum with coffee beans, or distilling gin with wildflowers. Their batches might be smaller, but their imagination definitely isn’t.

Next time you see small batch on a bottle at Boone’s, take a closer look. Behind those two words, there’s usually a story—a distiller perfecting their craft one barrel at a time, and a spirit made with the kind of attention you can actually taste.
So pour yourself a glass, raise a toast to the makers who keep things personal, and remember: sometimes smaller really is better.