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Booker’s vs Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Put Booker’s next to Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond and you have an uncut, high-rye heavyweight set against a classic, corn-forward stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Booker’s | Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 7 years +3 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +25 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$85 – $110 | ~$16 – $22 ~$79 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Booker’s and Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond do not publish an official mash bill.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
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Booker’s Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 10/5 heat: Booker’s 10 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 8/4 nuttiness: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
spice 7/5 spice: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Booker’s 4 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond: A bonded 100-proof bourbon at a price that barely seems possible, though distribution is patchy outside Kentucky. Unremarkable in the best way: it does everything a bourbon should and nothing extra.
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 Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded Kentucky bourbon for under twenty dollars, if you can find it in your state.
Best enjoyed neat (Booker’s); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond).