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Smooth Ambler Old Scout vs Booker’s
Smooth Ambler Old Scout and Booker’s sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, rye-forward bottling versus an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Smooth Ambler Old Scout | Booker’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 5 years | 7 years +2 yr |
| Proof | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +26 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 ~$53 less | ~$85 – $110 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Booker’s does 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
Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Smooth Ambler Old Scout Booker’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/8 nuttiness: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 3 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
heat 6/10 heat: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10, Booker’s 10 out of 10
sweetness 5/7 sweetness: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10, Booker’s 4 out of 10
spice 7/7 spice: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- 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.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
Which One Should You Choose?
- 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.
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with significantly more proof behind it and with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Smooth Ambler Old Scout); neat (Booker’s).