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Kentucky Owl Batch 12 vs Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Kentucky Owl Batch 12 and Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Kentucky Owl Batch 12 | Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 115.8 proof (57.9% ABV) +16 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$300 – $400 | ~$16 – $22 ~$331 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Kentucky Owl Batch 12 and Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Kentucky Owl Batch 12 Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 8/5 oak: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 8 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
spice 7/5 spice: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 7 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
heat 7/5 heat: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 7 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 3 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 6 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 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.
- 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.
- 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 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 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 (Kentucky Owl Batch 12); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond).