Compare
Old Grand-Dad Bonded vs Buffalo Trace
Old Grand-Dad Bonded and Buffalo Trace sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Grand-Dad Bonded | Buffalo Trace |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$24 – $30 | ~$28 – $35 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded and Buffalo Trace do not publish an official mash bill.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
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Buffalo Trace
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Grand-Dad Bonded Buffalo Trace
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/5 spice: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10
heat 6/4 heat: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10
nuttiness 5/4 nuttiness: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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.
- Buffalo Trace: The reference-point Kentucky bourbon: balanced brown sugar and vanilla sweetness, a whisper of mint, and just enough oak and spice to keep it interesting. Nothing is loud, which is exactly the point at 90 proof.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money with more proof behind it and without hunting for it.
- Go with Buffalo Trace if you want the balanced, everyday Kentucky benchmark that does nothing wrong at a fair price.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Buffalo Trace).