Quoted from Whysnow:
I personally find small batch to be 'safer', but single barrel is more 'fun' to see what you get.
Small batch also seems to be smoothed out compared to the complex and punch of a single.
JMHO
For the price, small batch is good.
However, the odd/fun/knowledge that you are drinking from a single barrel is also part of all this.
No doubt, but at almost twice the price, I'll stick with gambling on my everyday favorite single barrel product, Eagle Rare. I usually pick a "loser" every time I have sprung for the single barrel Taylor. (Not that it's ever "bad", just not enough difference to justify the cost over the regular small batch).
Being a fanboy of Buffalo Trace Mash #1, I love the little nuances between them, and being able to discern the differences in age/proof/singe barrel-small batch/warehouse.
That said, it's amazing how outside the goal posts from the regular profiles we are all used to, individual barrels can be. Literally two barrels next to another can be completely different (though this usually isn't the case for interior stored barrels, as opposed to barrels stored near walls or the roof)
Quoted from PinDeLaPin:
Yep you are right. Theres a shop by me that has a bottle of the barrel proof and he is asking $139 but i'm not paying that inflated price for it.
Sadly, that's a good price compared to secondary.
The funny thing to me is the incredible upcharge some of the distilleries charge for their barrel proof offerings. Doing the math, if regular EHTsmb @ 100 proof is $36, the barrel proof should be around $47 for 130 or so proof. But it's not. And I've always found that funny, (as I have gone over ad nauseum in past posts about "bargain barrel proofers") as the distiller doesn't have to add any additional water/steps (that add labor and material costs). Bottling and selling at "barrel proof" actually saves the distiller money. But they don't charge like that...
Sorry for the (usual) rant. Now back to the regularly scheduled bourbon discussion 
Berlin, CT
