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Ancient Age vs Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Ancient Age and Charles Goodnight Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Ancient Age | Charles Goodnight Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley | 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 6 years |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +35 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$14 – $18 ~$62 less | ~$75 – $80 |
- Ancient Age does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Ancient Age
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Ancient Age Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 2/8 heat: Ancient Age 2 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10
oak 3/8 oak: Ancient Age 3 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10
spice 4/7 spice: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10
sweetness 5/7 sweetness: Ancient Age 5 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- Ancient Age: The bottom rung of the Buffalo Trace ladder and priced accordingly. Thin and simple at 80 proof, but it is recognisably the Mash Bill #2 recipe and it does its job in a highball without complaint.
- Charles Goodnight Bourbon: A barrel-strength Texas bourbon. The hot Texas climate pulls a lot of oak in six years, giving deep wood, brown sugar and dark fruit with plenty of rye spice.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Ancient Age if you want the cheapest honest mixer in the lineup and you are not drinking it neat.
- Go with Charles Goodnight Bourbon if you want a bold, oak-heavy Texas bourbon at barrel strength with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball (Ancient Age); neat, rocks (Charles Goodnight Bourbon).