Don’t Waste Your Money on this 16 Year Bourbon!

In this video, we dive deep into our review of the Old Grand-Dad® 16 Year Limited Release bourbon, and unfortunately, it left us feeling incredibly disappointed. We were excited to try this new release from Jim Beam, but it missed the mark in many ways. Is it worth the premium price? Watch our full review to find out why we recommend avoiding this one. Let us know if you’ve tried it and if you agree with our thoughts in the comments below!
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[@slbdrinks]

Have you tried the Old Grand-Dad 16 Year Limited Release? What did you think? We were left unimpressed and want to hear your thoughts. Drop your comments below! 👇

[@j-boy9256]

The bottle reminds me of a bottle of Sonny's BBQ sweet sauce. Thanks for the video.

[@apeekintime]

I've tried it and I think it's comparable to Russel's 13. It falls somewhere around a KC 12/15 on flavor profile, even though they are different mashbills. The level of oak was just about perfect for a high aged bourbon and the 100 proof is fine. I wouldn't be shocked if it was better at 110-120 proof but Beam rarely releases age stated bottles over 100 proof.

[@jaretjensen]

I actually liked it. It reminded me of those old Cherry Mash candy bars that have the nutty chocolate shell. I also paid below MSRP though.

[@tdmvp98]

It reminds me of KC 18. A tad sweeter but super thin and just missing the mark. 10 more proof points would have probably made this a hitter

[@larrybatterson6651]

Thanks for saving me money boys!

[@xGoTPaNcAkEsx4ever]

You guys should do a re-try video of all the disappointing releases of this year and do the video like around the new year so that these bottles have had some time to open up as much as possible. Love all the content you guys put out!

[@eviltrain24]

$199 is all I needed to hear. I’m UNSOLD! And gladly buy this 0 days of the week.

[@CutterPhillips]

Thank you for taking one for the team boys! I love the "falling down the mountain"!

[@clintdegen]

Almost pulled trigger at 179. Something in my mind made me Walk back, and not seeing any reviews out made me hesitate. I’m glad the first review and most trusted review being you two sure made me happy I passed on this.

[@robertlee6781]

I saw the bottle at Beam last Saturday. I asked the clerk the price. When she said $200, I replied no wonder the shelf is full. I’ll stick to Knob Creek 12 for now.

[@honker1307]

Thanks for sharing this, I will stick to my OGD 114

[@ericglass8592]

Not only is it getting out of hand with the pricing of these releases now, but even more so when then the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. It’s almost insulting to the consumers at this point. I can’t thank you enough for saving me $200, because I too was highly anticipating this bottle and would have never in a million years thought it would have been a miss. Man, I was really hoping for it being Beams answer to RR15 😩

[@steveno7058]

$200 for a 16 year isn’t really outrageous pricing. The angel share must be horrendous. Probably only get 40 bottles from a barrel after 16 years versus 250 bottles from a 8 year barrel. Now quality is a different story. If it doesn’t taste great then it doesn’t taste great. But age wise the price is fair. In the past ultra aged Bourbon was being sold at a loss, with the goal of being a halo product. You simply can’t aged something for 16 years and sell it for $120 or less and make a profit

[@ericglass8592]

@@steveno7058 I don’t disagree with you. The first part of my comment was speaking more to the fact that some of these yearly releases seem to keep going up every year by $30-$50, or even more, and the average consensus is usually- but not always- that the juice is pretty lack luster compared to the previous years. I realize prices have gone up on literally everything, but in some cases it seems like we’re being charged more for subpar juice, just because it’s an LE and they know people will pay it. However, as you said, if the juice is good then the price is definitely worth it. There will always be a premium for higher age statements, and rightfully so, but you also expect a premium tasting product with that price tag. It’s rather disappointing when that premium bottle tastes like it should be 1/3 of the price. Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve seemed to notice a bit of a trend over the last year or so of quite a few yearly releases falling short despite coming with a higher msrp. So I don’t think $200 is an unreasonable ask for a 16 year old whiskey. However, if said whiskey only tastes mildly better than your sub $30 whiskey… that becomes an issue.

[@ubersoonerswitzer1103]

@@steveno7058 you can when you water it down to 100 proof

[@alexspainhoward]

Awesome, honest video. I appreciate the money saving, but I also appreciate the honesty. It would have been easy to not want to put down a new hyped release. This type of video makes me even more invested in watching all of your content in the future! Cheers!

[@jaronwalling6973]

Bottling 16 yr juice at 100 proof and selling for $199.99 is wild.

[@geland1]

Yeah, I was expecting it to be @ 125$, for $200 I’m not interested. I’ll spend that on a good high age cask strength bottle, but reluctant to do that on something at 100 proof

[@anthonyvella2787]

OGD bib is around $20, and OGD 114 is like $35. Enjoy your $200 bottle lol

[@Westtxcowboy100]

@@anthonyvella2787 Can find OGD under $20 and 114 for around $20+ in my area, Jim can keep his 16 yr old orange juice.

[@anthonyvella2787]

@@geland1 i can buy TEN OGD b.i.b. for 200... ten bottles vs 1 hmmmm....I'll take 10 all day. I sure hope the distilleries start noticing their expensive bottles collecting dust on the shelves

[@geland1]

@@anthonyvella2787 same, even OGD 114 is $20 at some stores by me and just sitting on shelves

[@Fatherrick1963]

I’m a Beam lover, but I’ll stick with the regular OGD 100/114 offerings before dropping $200 on that bottle. Sorry, J.B.

[@troublesome89]

Just want to say that I have a lot of respect for you for not engaging in stupid click bates. You call and label it how it is.

[@aaronberkowitz1803]

I appreciate the honesty that saves me money.

[@iamthesenate6827]

Such an odd release and price point. The Jacob’s Well 211 month is older (17.5 yrs), has OGD in the mash bill, is higher proof (109), and has a slightly lower MSRP.

[@moguy1973]

Can also say that Knob Creek 18 is older, different mash bill, but same proof and lower MSRP.

[@robertrackuzius3722]

I'm with you. I'd take Westward milestone shipped to the house for free over 200 for a bottle of this.

[@hopshlooken]

Love your reviews! Love the honesty. Between the two of you I get a great picture of the flavors.

[@MatthewGrunden]

Was looking forward to this release til I heard it was $200. Years and years of $15-30 bottles on the bottom shelf…114 got a boost because of the rumor it was being discontinued…but that’s a BIG jump by any distillers standard. I could see $100 maybe? But then this review and a few others popping up are not giving this glowing reviews. Wish it was better. Thanks for taking the hit.

[@damonharrison18]

After that Westward Milestone banger, I couldn't have clicked on this video fast enough

[@litupoutdoors8061]

Thank you guys very much. I will not be wasting my money on this.

[@umami0247]

Hard pass for me at this price. I’ll stick with 114 at 32 all day. It’s turning into a money grab from these large corporations. We need to stick together and stop paying these ridiculous prices for their bottles. And then the juice is substandard that makes it even more ridiculous. I understand you are buying these with your patrons cash so it isn’t breaking your bank but for those that are buying it with their money and maybe on a fixed income that should be criminal.

[@nickp5511]

Thanks for the review! My sons (36 & 39) have said there whole life that if it’s blue it has to be good:) Cheers!

[@paulhendershot111]

At $200, there was no chance that I would buy this, but I'm glad to have the review in case I were tempted to try it in a bar for $35. I'll stick with the good old 114.

[@Kevin_OKeefe]

I couldn’t wait for this one to be released but after seeing a few lack luster reviews, this’ll be a pass. Thanks guys

[@noworldforeric]

I've seen OGD 114 for 23$ at Costco in KY. Good thing I watched this. I will buy one of those for 23$ and spend my 177$ elsewhere to add up to my 200$ OGD purchase.

[@carlmschwarber259]

I have not tried it, but I've seen other utubers say exactly the same, besides I can get OGD114 for around $20 in northern KY. Cheers 🍻

[@jpolo975]

Check your vintage OGD if the barcode begins with 86259, its ND. If it's 80686 it's unfortunately Beam

[@RobRhodes-c7i]

I'm a Big fan of OGD 114!!!! Thanks for saving me the $$!!

[@RJR2222]

The expectation was so high for this. Hard to wow at a 100 prf Appreciation for the review

[@tonysibilla3628]

Totally agree. I have no desire to pay 200 for a 100 proof. You get to that price and the proof needs to be up there

[@scottykarate8596]

Agreed as well.. Very few bottles out there other than LE Michters worth $200 at 100 proof or less

[@Roman_Carter]

If you saying its slightly better then a 30 buck bottle then its a hard pass.... Thanks for being honest about the product.

[@USNUSA]

OGD 114 is great. Great sip, great mixer.

[@hokudadog7637]

Love the honesty. Made my first high priced purchase yesterday - a Blanton’s original for $99 and In nervous about not liking it

[@applecrow8]

Don't feel bad for hyping up an OGD 16 year release, in theory it should be great. Sad to hear its not and it seems to be going the way of Wild Turkey's pricing for special releases.

[@MurfsKitchen]

I enjoy some OGD but the price point had me at No before this video dropped. I appreciate Trenton and Kurt's honesty with these reviews. I don't like EVERYTHING I try and I wouldn't expect everyone's video reviews to be all rainbows and puppy dogs, there need to be a few disappointments here and there. The miss here is the 100 proof point, I think this would have been much better at a higher proof. High priced Special releases in the 90-100 proof range aren't meant for the enthusiast crowd, in my opinion. That's marketing and number crunchers looking at bottom line and realizing they can pull another 20% profit by adding water to something.

[@KrisChaney-s3d]

My wife is with Kurt - if it's blue, she's all out. I tend to agree - except for the classic AMF at Nick's English Hut in Bloomington. I'll make an exception for that beauty.

[@sagmeister2234]

OGD bonded is fantastic. One of my favorites.

[@Brad-ic4bp]

You keep comparing it to the 114, but at only 100 proof, you should compare it to the Old Grandad Bonded (for around $25). I’ve always loved the Bonded, so I’m glad there no reason to switch to the $200 bottle now.

[@steveno7058]

Nah. Its fair to compare it to the 114. If a $200 bottle can’t blowout a $25 bottle then the conclusion is pretty easy

[@LP23D6]

We appreciate your honesty. Everything can't be exceptional although we wish it could be.

[@CSAN]

Thankfully, this is one $200 bottle that I CAN resist 😂

[@TheZeal04]

Definitely be interested in seeing this in a blind against something like the 4 roses LE to have it pitted against a similar proof, high rye, high age release.

[@Razieleatssouls]

As a big OGD fan I was disappointed this bottle is outside of my budget. I'm glad I'm not missing out haha.

[@ZachDooley-do3xp]

Reviews like this make me question myself and what I know about whiskey. I picked up the OGD 16 last week (they dropped in Wi early) and I absolutely love it and don’t regret it one bit. I’m surprised you didn’t mention how much oak it has on the palate. I love oak when it’s not harsh or bitter which is probably why I enjoy this so much. My one and only complaint was it wasn’t complex but for 100 proof I thought the flavor, mouth feel and finish was impressive. My wife and I compared it to KC18 and Calumet 16 and OGD 16 was an easy winner for me, my wife had a hard time picking between OGD and Calumet but ultimately she picked the Calumet because it was an easier sip and the OGD was just too flavorful for her. The KC18 was underwhelming for both of us.

[@johnj.baranski6553]

It's like pizza. You can like one that I completely hate. How is anyone right or wrong when it comes to food or drink preferences?

[@ZachDooley-do3xp]

@@johnj.baranski6553 totally agree, the first sentence of my comment was playing off Trenton’s comments where he was questioning what he knew about whiskey. I totally get that people have different palates and perspectives, but as far as a pizza comparison goes this review wasn’t a “well this pizza is thick crust but I don’t like it because I prefer thin crust.” This review was “this pizza is Little Cesar’s at a premium price”

[@taserface6167]

Don’t mind watermelon candy but blue raspberry is my second favorite to sour green apple candy

[@caleballen8862]

What a bummer I had such high hopes for this release but that price is wild. Hot take is like all the blue candy and flavored stuff lol

[@cal3286]

Your old label 114 could be national distillery even if the lot # is 18. The UPC code is what makes the difference. If it starts with 86259, it's from ND. If it starts with 80686, it's Jim beam.

[@jesusjones3014]

Haven't had this, but don't forget Jim Beam knocked it out of the park with the hardin's creek frankfort, Clermont, boston and the 184/15 year & 211/17 year hardin's creek Jacob's well. All priced very well. I thought this was gonna come out at $160 & 114 proof, so disappointed at 200 & 100 proof but I was still going to grab one if I could, now at 200 and slb low rating/value/100 proof not 114 or at least 107 in the middle of the ogd lineup, gonba pass and save that money for something else. Still loving OGD 100 & 114 though, great values!

[@williamprice1542]

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts 😊 I appreciate all you guys do !

[@JordanG_3031]

SLB Classics 0:01 gotta keep the mishaps and dance moves in the intro 0:35 who wouldn’t perk up a bit from old grand dad 1:15 sometimes you have to splurge 1:37 whew high praise for not WT 2:38 gotta like something about the vintage looking bottle 3:11 Trenton playing the mind games, marketing opportunity missed 3:32 tough love and honesty with SLB 3:46 can’t trust Kurt’s aroma notes too much, he had a shnoz surgery 4:08 Trenton has some interesting likes and dislikes 4:25 Trenton hot take is nuts 4:34 Kurt’s hot take is even crazier 5:32 feel better already Kurt 6:01 lol Kurt tried so hard with the wink and everything 7:03 only complete honesty, rephrasing required 7:28 we are waiting for the side by side 8:03 hooray! Kurt read our minds in advance 8:17 Trenton is going to be sincere?!? 9:10 give credit where it is due 9:27 but still honest😢 10:22 honesty and predictions were correct, slightly better 11:20 always consider the price tag 11:42 wow! Thanks for still releasing 12:40 Trenton is like a Tom Brady football now 13:58 gotta be a little conniving 14:12 we have all questioned your palette Trenton, but for your crazy notes 15:16 always honest 15:28 uh oh, Trenton is continuing to question everything 16:07 is he really gonna stop?!? 16:19 hugs are allowed on camera 16:28 nice sign off and EXTREME Trenton nod

[@cjholcomb9687]

Awesome job as always

[@JordanG_3031]

@@cjholcomb9687 thank you!

[@holdenmullaney1081]

I’ve had this at the distillery. Against the grain here but I disagree. I’m a big fan. The oak influence is amazing and the proof doesn’t hurt the viscosity at all. It’s still very expensive, not sure I would buy again.

[@tylerwilliamson6798]

My exact text to buddies after trying earlier this week: “It is with a heavy heart that I report the OGD 16 was a tad disappointing”

[@justinreynolds1692]

Well we bought it in Kentucky when we were there at the release. I hope we like it lol.

[@MISTERLOLCRACKERS]

Hudson is releasing Baby Bourbon Decanted. It's the very last bottling of Baby Bourbon. Can't wait for the video on that!

[@spencerjcolling]

I’m glad I missed this one. They had just sold out. But honestly for the price, I would much rather spend a little more for Russell 15…..if I can ever find it.

[@Ronald-xn2ui]

I had old granddad in 1982. I remember it being very good.

[@David-Drinks-Dusties]

Hey Trenton if your Lot 18 Old Granddad has a UPC code with 686 it is a beam distilled bottle, but if it is 259 a National Distillers release.

[@blythewilson357]

You would think for $200 JB would at least make an effort to stand by their reputation and deliver a solid product, especially considering recent releases like the 7 year black, KC 15 and 18 which are solid. How’d they mess this one vs up????😢 Thank for the honest review and saving us all some grief.

[@schneids02]

Grape and watermelon jolly ranchers are outstanding Cherry anything sucks Blue raspberry is an overall awesome artificial flavor

[@iceman2796]

Great Video and a Big Thank YOU!!!! I was considering this bottle. Definitely not anymore.

[@gabrieltrujillo6133]

Feeling better each week about moving on to scotch. Was worried that I’m stepping up in price, but I think I’m getting more bang for the buck with scotch. Lots of 10, 12, 13 yr old scotch for $50 - $70. Lagavulin 16 (I know, I know) for $90. I’m burnt out on these bourbon and rye prices. Even American Single Malts are insanely overpriced for 3 to 7 ($50 - $100!) year old whiskey.

[@Mr.Cynical92]

Blue raspberry is the best jolly rancher flavor. Glacier freeze is my favorite Gatorade flavor. I'm on Trenton's side on that one. That said, I do still enjoy grape and watermelon flavored candy and drinks. I don't like regular OGD 114, so I won't be seeking this one out. Keep an eye out for Reiger Bourbon. It's a Kansas City made bourbon that just hit the market. I bought a fifth of it and enjoyed it. It's a sweet mash mellow bourbon, a really easy drinker.

[@namrocknamrock371]

Grape soda is my favorite flavor note in bourbon!

[@bearsmouth5722]

Thanks for saving us some money because I can go to our Costco right now and buy a 114 for $22

[@karl0318]

I too have been looking forward to the 16-year release and will be looking forward to hearing your thoughts after giving it a week or two before trying it again. However, I do not have high hopes that it will open up enough to justify the price tag.

[@haydencollins4284]

agree with the dusty OGD. Had a pour of a 1976 OGD 86 proof at a function this year and apart from the GTS it was the tastiest bourbon ive ever had

[@rmactvc]

Totally agree, paying 4 to 6 times the price MSRP does not reflect in the taste. Too many great bourbons under $100 to chase unicorns anymore.

[@rickmandel8233]

That's a major bummer...I am a huge ODG fan. You saved me some $.

[@heatherharrison264]

Bourbon over 12 years is a mixed bag. You never know what you'll get. Knob Creek 18 is a mess, but it is a complex and interesting mess, so I like it. Knob Creek 12 is a lot more harmonious and is more pleasant to drink if that is what I'm looking for. Old Grand-Dad 16 is probably something that I would want to try at a bar. If it isn't a significant departure from the standard versions, then I won't find it interesting enough to spend $200 on it. (People are likely going nuts over it anyway, so I doubt I will see it at a store unless it is marked up.) I would like to get another bourbon older than 12 years. Maybe I'll pick up a Calumet 16 - it is priced a lot better, and it seems to be well liked. Many years ago, one of my friends said, "there is a universal human aversion to blue food." I tend to agree. There is something horrifying about the artificial blue color used in candy. Blue curaçao is highly questionable too. Natural blue food, such as blue corn, is good, but it is really more of a purple color, so it doesn't count.

[@darrylvandewalle7380]

I agree with Trenton’s hot take!!

[@groomersgotohell]

Great take on the blue sh*t

[@BigD_Energy]

You guys get every new Limited Edition bottle and usually the day it’s released. Make a video on how you do that!

[@henryshaw3206]

So right. The only "blue" food that is edible is blackberries......and even then they refused to call them blue.

[@DR.Detroit11]

Thank you, you saved me from begging crooked liquor store owners for this bottle

[@scottmattern482]

Its dangerous shopping for bourbon without watching these videos. I listened to an employee who recommended Travelers to me, i didn't know it was a celebrity sponsored bottle, the guy just told me it was from Buffalo Trace. I gladly bought it and was extremely disappointed when tasted it. At $40 for that bottle, i felt personally offended for the product i received. If Buffalo Trace had any dignity, they would refund your money if you complain to them.

[@joshhalleron694]

never seen it before, but ok thanks for the video! appreciate your videos!

[@TheNewRevolution]

I agree with Trent. Blue Raspberry is the best flavor ever. I also agree with their Bourbon taste. The National Distillers Old Grand Dad is fantastic. The truth is that no matter what brand you're tasting, the juice was very different 20-30 years ago. Bourbon has changed. I don't necessarily think it's been for the better. The old Bourbons were just better. There's a ton of mid stuff out there now that just do not taste as good as what was being put out in years past. Don't believe me. Try an old Austin Nichols Wild Turkey 101 from the 90's-2000s. Compare it to today's 101.

[@Just_One_More_Bourbon]

Ok I totally appreciate this review. And my buddy who got a bottle totally agreed with you guys on a lot of the same points. I know the price point is all bad. But price aside. Is the juice inside a good sip

[@bneuhaus001]

Saw this at the distillery last week and passed. Got the booker beam house and little book path not taken instead.

[@TE-vs3mc]

Elite intro today. Cheers 🥃

[@Mark-1962]

Two reviews for the price of one - blue candy throw down along with a bourbon review! 😂

[@x2TallMikex]

We shouldn’t question what we actually feel about products we should question these distilleries

[@bmc2567]

Poor ole Trenton was shaken to the core on this one. 😂 Thanks for the notes though! I’ll stick to KC ….

[@kyleblu8207]

I’m sorry this bottle was a bummer, but this might be my favorite video 😂

[@davidteller7681]

Bummer, I was looking forward to this, but I recently bought Murray Hill Club Special #4 and the Westward Milestone, so a bit relieved I can pass on another expensive bottle!

[@matthewgabbard6415]

These are made by Beam, but it has its own yeast strain, which I believe is the old National Distillers one. Do we now expect every release to be the best thing you ever tasted? I still applaud Beam for being on point with their age statements. I was almost ready to call age statements a thing of the past a few years back.

[@natestrings673]

Kyle is a savage for this one 😂

[@taylorsprincz3624]

Saw you picked this up was going to ask you About it!

[@Vortex1988]

I'm finding that I'm not a big fan of older Jim Beam bourbons. I tried Knob Creek 18, and I thought it was flat and not very complex. I'd rather have a Knob Creek 9-year barrel pick, because you get those cherry, oak, and spice flavors that really linger on the finish. Knob Creek 18 by comparison is just caramel, oak, and maybe a little leather with a short finish and it's just very flat. After that experience, I'm not surprised that you're not liking the OGD 16.

[@genghis_quan]

And Trenton thought this could perhaps beat the RR15... haha just messin around

[@ChadOlson-of1bh]

I picked it up Friday, well before your video. Wish you did the video last week. My thoughts are the same as yours. It’s less cinnamon forward, a bit sweeter and oakier maybe. A little better mouthfeel. But that’s about it. Yeah, disappointing. I, like Trenton, like Jim Beam a good bit, especially OGD. So I really thought it would be a hitter. Money wasted.

[@christopherryan7654]

OGD 114!!! $20.99. Still the king.

[@Varsity-gp8ub]

Sorry Trenton.... I can see on your face that you're visibly upset that it's not good, sorry man. I love Old GrandDad too, so this hurts... this really hurts. Don't worry, there's plenty of good stuff out there. For me personally, Little Book 7 & 8, Overholt 10 yr, Bookers 2023-03 "Mighty Fine Batch" are the best stuff Jim has put out in the past couple years. I think they've mishit on almost all of these 2024 fall special releases.

[@lyacoubian]

Love your show gentlemen... 🥃 I was wondering if either one of my favorite "Father & Son" team has had the chance of trying the Catoctin Creek 6 year old Rabble Rouser BiB Rye. As promiscuous as a whisk(e)y drinker I might be, my journey is all about RYE..!!!

[@hiki2853]

Blue Gatorade is the GOAT, you're off your rocker!

[@Westtxcowboy100]

Washer fluid! 🤣

[@oggaspack7971]

It's tricky cuz releases like Russell's 15 seems to be worth the price point. I think brands need to be very specific with what bottles they will charge $200 for.

[@kens.2753]

200 doll hair fail............ Sigh..... Thanks guys for dropping truth bombs..

[@BiffStrongo]

You guys seemed a little flushed and giggly at the start of this video, and it just got better as it went on. Was this the second or third video you filmed that day? I think the juice may have been getting to you! :)

[@robertharper2158]

Thanks for saving me the 200 slackers, guys!

[@ChadLohnes]

The only thing orange flavored I like is tic tacs everything else sucks like Trenton says because it doesn’t come close to true orange flavor. Thanks for saving me money on that bottle. I will stick with 114 and bonded

[@cgvoxakis]

Kurt's take on blue blew!

[@apeekintime]

Looks like Trenton left this one in the car too. Lost his medallion on the front