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Kentucky Owl Batch 12 vs Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Kentucky Owl Batch 12 and Old Grand-Dad Bonded sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Kentucky Owl Batch 12 | Old Grand-Dad Bonded |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 115.8 proof (57.9% ABV) +16 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$300 – $400 | ~$24 – $30 ~$323 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Kentucky Owl Batch 12 and Old Grand-Dad Bonded do not publish an official mash bill.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
Kentucky Owl Batch 12
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Kentucky Owl Batch 12 Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 8/5 oak: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 8 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
spice 7/8 spice: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Kentucky Owl Batch 12: A high-end blend of young and older sourced Kentucky bourbons. Leather, smoky oak and caramel, with a peppery, spice-forward palate.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Kentucky Owl Batch 12 if you want a spicy, leathery, high-end blended bourbon with more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Old Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat (Kentucky Owl Batch 12); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded).