Caramel | Green apple | Cinnamon | Vanilla | Oak

Caramel | Sweet corn | Honey | Light mixed sweet fruit | Thin mouthfeel

Rye grain | Peppery spice | Sweet oak | Short

Though relegated to the bottle shelf at any given liquor store, the Ancient Age brand has a long and storied history. The brand was created in 1946 by Schenley Industries and later sold to Age International in 1983. According to Chuck Cowdery, between 1991 and 1992, Age International was sold to Japan’s Takara Shuzo. Takara then immediately sold the distillery to Sazerac, but retained the corporate entity and brand trademarks. The distillery was formerly called the Albert B. Blanton Distillery, which was renamed and is now known as Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Along with other Age International brands that include Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon and Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon, Ancient Age uses a proprietary mashbill, which is now known as Buffalo Trace mashbill #2, generally known to be 51%+ corn, 12-15% rye, and malted barley. Ancient Age is generally considered a well-bottle, or “rail drink,” as it is a bottle often found under bars to make bourbon-based cocktails.

For Ancient Age Straight Bourbon, its price matches what it offers, which isn’t much. It starts with a straightforward, sweet aroma, mainly of classic scents such as caramel, green apple, cinnamon, vanilla, and oak. Its palate is thin, lacks mouthfeel, and delivers unexciting flavors of caramel, sweet corn, honey, and light mixed fruit. Its short finish introduces moments of spice in the form of rye grain and pepper before ending with sweet oak.

Ancient Age Straight Bourbon is serviceable bourbon if you’re looking for an unassuming, easy-sipping, straightforward pour. In a cocktail, it simply doesn’t have much intensity and would be easily overpowered by any additional component. Even in a bourbon soda, any amount of dilution simply makes the flavors non-existent.

On the other side, though, there’s nothing inherently bad flavorwise about Ancient Age Straight Bourbon. It’s simply boring with a mouthfeel that never quite builds, leaving the experience feeling flat and underdeveloped. The flavors are sweet before turning slightly spicy, and are overall familiar and underwhelming. It’s a bourbon that asks nothing of the drinker and is what it is. For many modern bourbon drinkers, it really doesn't offer them anything beyond its alcohol content and accessible price point.