Very Old Barton 6 comes to us from the good folks at Sazerac, who owns Buffalo Trace, and is produced at their Barton Distillery. VOB is really only found in the South so us Yankees and Westerners don’t ever really get to come across it unless traveling. I picked this bottle up on my trip to Tennessee when I visited the George Dickel Distillery back in March.
In the South Very Old Barton 6 is everywhere. I think I might have tripped over a bottle when I got off the plane in Tennessee right before I tripped over a bottle of Jack Daniels. It’s in every bar, liquor store and bottle shop I peeked into and as far as I’m concerned they can keep it. I’ve had some utterly amazing Very Old Barton in the past, like the 6 year Bottled In Bond with the blue label, but this… this is not the amazing Barton of bourbon past. Though I’m still glad I tried it.
Very Old Barton 6 Info
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Sazerac (Buffalo Trace – Barton Distillery)
Cask: New charred oak
Age: NAS (4-6 years)
ABV: 45%
Price: $14
Very Old Barton 6 Review
EYE
Caramel
NOSE
Fresh corn bread, wood and watery caramel mix with light notes of toasted grains, vanilla and spice. It’s not bad, just incredibly light and watery overall. It’s missing the oomph and complexity needed to really push it along.
PALATE
Watery caramel, raw grains and dark fruit flavored fruit roll ups. Light notes of wood and vanilla blend in with a charred undertone. In addition to being light and watery, the whole thing gets a bit soapy towards the end.
FINISH
Medium paced with notes of caramel, grain and spice that turns to soapy wood after a bit.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Well it’s not unbalanced. It has a thin body and a weak watery texture.
OVERALL
The Very Old Barton 6 is a shadow of the stunning VOBs of the past (like the 6 year BiB), but that doesn’t mean that it’s all bad. There are some nice elements in the nose and palate, but with it all coming across weak and watery it’s hard to fully enjoy. It’s not a very engaging whisky and ends up feeling rather wishy washy and boring after only a single glass.
SCORE: 79/100
