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Booker’s vs Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Booker’s and Smooth Ambler Old Scout sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight versus a sourced, rye-forward blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Booker’s | Smooth Ambler Old Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years +2 yr | 5 years |
| Proof | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +26 proof | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$85 – $110 | ~$40 – $50 ~$53 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Booker’s 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
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Booker’s Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 8/3 nuttiness: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 3 out of 10
heat 10/6 heat: Booker’s 10 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/5 sweetness: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
oak 8/6 oak: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Booker’s 4 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
spice 7/7 spice: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
- Smooth Ambler Old Scout: Sourced MGP bourbon selected and bottled in West Virginia, and one of the more honest sourced brands about exactly what it is. The characteristic MGP dill-and-pepper signature, cleanly presented.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with significantly more proof behind it and with an older age statement.
- Go with Smooth Ambler Old Scout if you want the classic MGP high-rye profile from a bottler that has always been upfront about sourcing at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Booker’s); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Smooth Ambler Old Scout).