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Ancient Age vs David Nicholson 1843
Ancient Age and David Nicholson 1843 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a blender-built, wheat-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Ancient Age | David Nicholson 1843 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +20 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$14 – $18 ~$14 less | ~$25 – $35 |
- Ancient Age and David Nicholson 1843 do not publish an official mash bill.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.
David Nicholson 1843
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Ancient Age David Nicholson 1843
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 2/5 heat: Ancient Age 2 out of 10, David Nicholson 1843 5 out of 10
sweetness 5/7 sweetness: Ancient Age 5 out of 10, David Nicholson 1843 7 out of 10
spice 4/3 spice: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, David Nicholson 1843 3 out of 10
oak 3/4 oak: Ancient Age 3 out of 10, David Nicholson 1843 4 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, David Nicholson 1843 3 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, David Nicholson 1843 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- David Nicholson 1843: A long-running wheated label at 100 proof. Smooth vanilla and caramel with a soft, bready body and a touch more spice than you would expect from a wheater.
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 David Nicholson 1843 if you want a smooth, 100-proof wheater with a long history.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball (Ancient Age); rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (David Nicholson 1843).