Very Old Barton 80 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

Welcome to Season 10 of Film & Whiskey! We're kicking things off with a return to an old favorite—Very Old Barton, a brand we haven’t touched since Season 1. This is a Kentucky straight bourbon that has built a bit of a cult reputation for its affordability and surprising quality, especially if you’ve spent any time on whiskey Instagram.

Today, we're diving into the 80 proof expression, which is now available in Ohio. It’s aged for 36 months (three years) and, based on the mash bill of its bottled-in-bond sibling, likely comes in at 75% corn, 15% rye, and 10% malted barley—making this a high-rye bourbon.

Let’s see how this budget-friendly bourbon holds up in our six scoring categories.

Nose

Bob:
Honestly, at three years and 80 proof, I’m pretty shocked at how pleasant this smells. I'm getting banana—like fresh baked banana bread. I have a friend who makes this banana cake with a brown sugar maple frosting, and that's exactly what this reminds me of. There's banana, brown sugar, and some wet paper underneath, but it’s mostly masked by those syrupy sweet aromas. It kind of hides the fact that this is a $10 whiskey.
**Score: ** 7.5/10

Brad:
It’s not bad. I got some caramel, peanuts, and a little ethanol. But then it really turned into apple juice for me—the overwhelming note I couldn’t shake. Later, I started picking up on that overripe banana vibe. It’s sweet, but a little too sweet.
**Score: ** 4.5/10

Taste

Brad:
The taste is decent. There’s some vanilla, a heavy whipping cream kind of note, and apple peel. I didn’t get much caramel. The fruitiness from the nose kind of turns into... I don’t know what you’d call the flavor of an overripe banana. Not sour, but the wrong kind of sweet.
**Score: ** 5.5/10

Bob:
I expected something sweet from the nose, but the palate really threw me. It was oaky, and the rye and malt really took over. It got almost tannic for me—like toasted oak that saps the sweetness. At 80 proof, it was surprisingly punchy. I actually think this would hold up well in a cocktail, but on its own, it was a little disappointing.
**Score: ** 5.5/10

Finish

Brad:
The finish didn’t do it for me. It kind of sours. There’s a leathery note, some oak, and then it just ends on a bitter, sour note.
**Score: ** 4.5/10

Bob:
Yeah, it’s not really noteworthy. I’ll call it neutral and go with another 5.5. Nothing unpleasant, but nothing memorable.
**Score: ** 5.5/10

Balance

Bob:
I don’t think it’s particularly well-balanced. It’s kind of just very mediocre across the board. But I guess that makes it consistent? I’ll give it a 6.
**Score: ** 6/10

Brad:
Same for me. It’s not complex, but the flavors stick around and remain consistent through nose, taste, and finish. There’s nothing jarring about it, which is a small win.
**Score: ** 6/10

Value

Bob:
Let’s talk pricing. When I picked this up in Kentucky, I got a 200 ml bottle for $3. A 750 ml bottle there was around $12. But in Ohio now? It’s $21. That’s a big jump. Looking online, though, I think it’s fair to call this a $15 bottle. That puts it in Benchmark territory—and I think Benchmark is better. But this still isn’t bad, so I’ll give it a 7.
**Score: ** 7/10

Brad:
I saw prices in the $13–16 range too, so $15 feels right. For that price, the flavors are solid, and even at 80 proof, it’s got a little pop. If you’re going to spend $15 on whiskey, this is a pretty solid option.
**Score: ** 7.5/10

Final Scores

Bob:
I’m at 31.5/50, and honestly, that value score really boosted it.

Brad:
I’m at 28/50. That gives us a combined average of 29.75/50.

At just under 30/50, Very Old Barton 80 Proof is a pretty fair pour. It’s not bad, and it’s not great—but at $15, it doesn’t need to be. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly bourbon that smells better than it tastes and works decently in cocktails, this one gets the job done. That said, it falls below our 35/50 "try it at a bar" threshold, so unless you’re building a budget bar cart, we’d recommend spending a few bucks more for something like Benchmark or Rebel 100.