Compare
Jack Daniel’s 12 Year vs Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Comparing Jack Daniel’s 12 Year and Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond is a closer contest than it looks — both are traditional Tennessee whiskeys, separated mainly by price (~$80 – $120 vs. ~$16 – $22).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Jack Daniel’s 12 Year | Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 12 years +8 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 107 proof (53.5% ABV) +7 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$80 – $120 | ~$16 – $22 ~$81 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Jack Daniel’s 12 Year Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 8/5 oak: Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 8 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 8 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 6 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 6 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 5 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 4 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Jack Daniel’s 12 Year: Twelve-year Jack Daniel's at 107 proof. Sweet and creamy, with butterscotch, pipe tobacco and seasoned oak.
- 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 Jack Daniel’s 12 Year if you want a sweet, creamy, well-aged Jack Daniel's with pipe tobacco and oak with slightly more proof behind it.
- 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, rocks (Jack Daniel’s 12 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond).