Old Grand-Dad Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Old Grand-Dad · Jim Beam Distillery (Beam Suntory)
Old Grand-Dad Bonded is a masterclass in value and character. The high-rye mash bill gives it a spine that many higher-priced bourbons lack, and the bottled-in-bond designation guarantees integrity. This is a working bourbon that punches well above its shelf position.
Kit Aromas
Nose
Rye spice dominates the opening, followed by waves of caramel and orange zest. Underneath, there's a clean corn sweetness and a faint whiff of charred oak that grounds everything.
Palate
Spicy and assertive on entry, with rye and brown spices giving way to butterscotch and a touch of leather. The high-rye mash bill delivers a peppery backbone that cuts through the sweetness with purpose.
Finish
Medium-long, with lingering rye spice, a flash of vanilla, and dry oak tannins that leave you reaching for another sip.
- Mash Bill
- 63% Corn, 27% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
- Barrel Type
- New charred American oak
- Bottled in Bond
- Yes
- Single Barrel
- No
- Wheated
- No
Cocktail Suggestion
The Thorned Old Fashioned — 2 oz Old Grand-Dad Bonded · 0.25 oz demerara syrup · 3 dashes Angostura bitters · 1 dash orange bitters · Stir over a large ice cube, express an orange peel and drop it in.
Food Pairing
The rye spice and charred oak in the bourbon mirror the smokiness of the pork, while the caramel notes complement a tangy mustard-based slaw on top.
Named for Meredith Basil Hayden Sr. and carrying a high-rye recipe dating to the late 1800s, Old Grand-Dad Bonded is distilled at Jim Beam's Clermont facility under the exacting standards of the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act.
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