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Jack Daniel’s 14 Year vs Smooth Ambler Old Scout

Jack Daniel’s 14 Year and Smooth Ambler Old Scout sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus a blender-built, rye-forward bottling.

Key Specifications

Feature Jack Daniel’s 14 Year Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Type / Style Traditional Tennessee Whiskey, Barrel Proof High-Rye Bourbon
Mash Bill 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley
Age 14 years +9 yr 5 years
Proof 126.3 proof (63.1% ABV) +27 proof 99 proof (49.5% ABV)
Approx. Price 1 ~$150 – $250 ~$40 – $50 ~$155 less
Availability Limited Widely available easier to find
  1. US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.

AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes

Jack Daniel’s 14 Year

No notes yet.

Smooth Ambler Old Scout

Not rated yet

No notes yet.

Flavor Profile

Jack Daniel’s 14 Year Smooth Ambler Old Scout
sweetnessspiceoakfruitheatnuttiness

Axis by axis, biggest gap first

sweetness 8/5 sweetness: Jack Daniel’s 14 Year 8 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
oak 9/6 oak: Jack Daniel’s 14 Year 9 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
heat 9/6 heat: Jack Daniel’s 14 Year 9 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Jack Daniel’s 14 Year 6 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Jack Daniel’s 14 Year 6 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Jack Daniel’s 14 Year 4 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 3 out of 10

Flavor Profile Differences

Sweetness is where these two part ways.

  • Jack Daniel’s 14 Year: The oldest Jack Daniel's in over a century, bottled near barrel proof. Butterscotch and bakery spice over rich leather, old oak and pipe tobacco.
  • 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 Jack Daniel’s 14 Year if you want the oldest, strongest Jack Daniel's on the shelf 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, rocks (Jack Daniel’s 14 Year); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Smooth Ambler Old Scout).