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Smooth Ambler Old Scout vs Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Smooth Ambler Old Scout and Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a sourced, rye-forward blend versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Smooth Ambler Old Scout | Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 5 years | 7 years +2 yr |
| Proof | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$35 – $45 ~$5 less |
- 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.
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Smooth Ambler Old Scout Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 7/5 spice: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 3 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 6 out of 10
oak 6/7 oak: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 4 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year: Seven years, bonded, and priced sensibly — the specification sheet reads like something from twenty years ago. Balanced and oak-leaning without ever getting heavy.
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.
- Go with Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year if you want a bonded, age-stated Kentucky bourbon that gets the fundamentals right for under forty dollars.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Smooth Ambler Old Scout); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year).