Sazerac owns both Barton (since 2009) and Buffalo Trace (since 1992). Buffalo Trace has made most of my favorite Bourbons for decades. Unfortuntely, I can't say the same for Barton, but hopefully over time Sazerac management will bring Barton up to speed. Everything takes time when you're talking Bourbon.
During the pandemic I had an opportunity to explore the shelves a bit more than I usually do, and I picked up a couple of bottles from Barton, namely the value-priced Very Old Barton, and the slightly more expensive 1792 Single Barrel.
Very Old Barton Kentucky Straight Bourbon 100 Proof ($19) I was genuinely curious to re-visit this value label that I hadn't tasted in quite a while, but now I can see why it isn't frequently mentioned as a great value, because this is average at best. It's a bit lean and gritty, clearly young, and it doesn't have a lot of layers like some better blended young Bourbon whiskeys like Evan Williams or Ezra Brooks. I just think you can do better, and calling it "very old" is probably a little misleading. (84 Points)
Barton's 1792 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon 98.6 proof ($45) The bottle is far sexier than the spirit stored within, and I'm not saying this is a bad whiskey by any stretch, it just doesn't deliver the class that the expensive packaging promises. It also isn't terribly expensive. I suppose that if it is truly a single barrel bourbon, your experience may vary. In my case, I tasted an absolutely decent spirit with flavors that were all over the board and not very well-integrated. The aromas and flavors veered between celery, butterscotch, white pepper and artichoke. It's not an unpleasant drink, but the lack of blending seems to cost this bourbon more than it gains from being a single barrel selection. I just wasn't very impressed. This is a good reminder that sometimes blending improves a spirit. (86 Points)
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