Old Grand-Dad 114 Is Now Available As A Single Barrel Bourbon For The First Time Ever

There’s a new twist on the cult favorite, 114-proof whiskey beloved by bartenders and bourbon collectors alike.

The James B. Beam Distilling Co. has been quietly reworking its whiskey portfolio for the last few years, adding line extensions to Knob Creek, Booker’s, Little Book and many others, but this month will see one of the most exciting releases yet: a 7-year-old single barrel variation of the legendary Old Grand-Dad bourbon.

Old Grand-Dad 114 7-Year Single Barrel Bourbon is bottled at 114 proof (57 percent ABV). Old Grand-Dad’s notoriously high percentage of rye (27 percent according to some reports) really leans in on those spicy notes of cinnamon and mint. Balanced against the high proof, that yields a bourbon with bold flavor, great structure, and a whole lot of vanilla and caramel in the mix.

Call it a cult favorite, a bartender’s secret — Old Grand-Dad 114 has always had a serious cult following, and the spirit’s devoted fans have generally preferred to whisper about this beloved whiskey, lest collectors start hoarding it. During the worst of the bourbon boom, it was a struggle to find 114 or Bonded on store shelves in some places as more consumers were waking up to these sleeper hits.

The Old Grand-Dad brand has been “old” since the 1880s, when it was originally distilled by the Hayden family, before being sold to the Wathen family, which later helped to create National Distillers Group. That brand produced Old Overholt, Old Taylor, and Old Crow as well, before the portfolio was sold to the Beam organization in 1987. In the nearly 40 years since, there have only been three products in the Old Grand-Dad line: 80 proof, Bottled in Bond, and 114 — all small batches. So this marks the first time that singular barrels have been handpicked as exceptional for any Old Grand-Dad bourbon.

Old Grand-Dad 114 Single Barrel is a line extension, meaning it will appear on shelves alongside the existing Old Grand-Dad 114 whiskey, and not replace it. That’s an important distinction to make with brands in the Jim Beam portfolio, as just a few years ago the Baker’s Bourbon brand was converted from a small batch bourbon to a single barrel permanently — a change that many (myself included) had mixed feelings about.

That said, there are no mixed feelings about this whiskey. The 7-year age statement is nice, and my guess is that it leaves room for the Old Grand-Dad line to grow as Knob Creek has in recent years, with age statements of 12, 15, and 18 years. A single-barrel bourbon also lends itself to private selection, and while Beam hasn’t shared any information about future plans for the Old Grand-Dad line, I doubt I’d be alone in crossing my fingers for a shot at picking my own barrel someday.

In the meantime, though, there will be plenty of single barrels selected by the Beam tasting panel to keep us entertained. And maybe the best news in this announcement is the price: a tolerable $50 MSRP that makes it worth grabbing a few bottles if you find a barrel that you love.

G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appétit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for whiskey reviews and trends, perspectives on drinks, and stuff.