Howdy, friends! Today, we're heading back to the wild, wild West—figuratively speaking—as we dive into another bourbon straight from the heart of the mighty USA.🇺🇲🦅 I'm especially excited to bring you this review because this particular bottle is a real black sheep among the budget-friendly options out there.

You might be wondering, "Why review a bottle like this?" Well, hang tight—because I promise, this one's going to surprise you too!

Let's hop in and see what this bottle has to offer us!

But before we go any further, please check out my previous reviews.🥃✅

The WhiskyJourneyz Seal of Approval

I've decided to introduce something new to the site—a WhiskyJourneyz Seal of Approval system. Any whisky featured can earn it, but only if it meets certain criteria. I've created a custom scoring formula to determine eligibility. While I won't be revealing the exact formula, I can tell you it evaluates whiskies based on four key aspects:

1. The WhiskyJourneyz rating (out of 10)
2. Price-to-value ratio
3. Average rating on Whiskybase
4. Availability

Whiskies that score 90–100 on this scale (which is incredibly rare) will be awarded the prestigious Editor's Pick badge.

A score of 80–90 will earn the WhiskyJourneyz Seal of Approval—still a tough mark to reach. Whichever whisky gets this award is worthy to stock up on if the price is right. This seal can be earned by expensive whiskies aswell if I like them. 

Bottles scoring 70–80 are ones I recommend you grab when they're on sale, perfect to stock up on.

Anything below 70 won't receive any badge—but that doesn't mean the whisky is bad. Not at all.

Some whiskies may not be evaluated with this system at all—this is more of a fun and personal way for me to highlight and celebrate the drams I truly believe in. Think of it as: "I'm giving awards to the whiskies I really love."

Who and which distillery makes Old Virginia 6 yo?

Old Virginia is produced by La Martiniquaise, a major French spirits company that owns the "Old Virginia" brand. The exact distillery isn't clearly disclosed. La Martiniquaise specializes in launching affordable, globally distributed whiskies—Old Virginia fits that mold perfectly. Some people speculate that it is likely coming from the Lux Row Distillery or Buffalo Trace. It is purely speculation so don't take my or their word for it!

Old Virginia is a private label brand owned by La Martiniquaise (France). They don't distill but market various spirits, including this bourbon. The whiskey is distilled, aged and bottled in Kentucky because according to U.S. law it can only be called "Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey" if those conditions are met. 

While the 6‑year‑old expression is the most visible, they also have an 8-year-old bottle with caramel, oak, vanilla and spice notes and a 12‑year‑old expression, but they are harder to find.

It's typical for private-label brands to test multiple age statements before scaling. The 6‑year probably hit the market first and remains the flagship.

The name "Old Virginia" is more of a marketing choice than a reference to actual origin. Here's why brands do this:

• Evokes American heritage: "Old Virginia" has a nostalgic, Old South ring to it. Virginia is often romanticized as the birthplace of American whiskey — even though Kentucky is where bourbon truly took off. Using the name taps into that old-time Americana feel, which is very appealing for bourbon branding, especially overseas.
• Historical association: Virginia was one of the earliest American regions where settlers distilled spirits — including rye and corn whiskey — well before bourbon existed. So the name has historic legitimacy, even if the bourbon isn't actually made there.
• "Old [Something]" is a tried-and-true bourbon naming formula: Just think of Old Forester, Old Grand-Dad, Old Crow, etc. Adding "Old" gives the impression of age, tradition, and authenticity — all strong selling points in the bourbon world.

Old Virginia 6 yo - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered (?), 40%

Age: 6 years, aged in new white american charred oak barrels.

ABV: 40% (80 proof) – standard entry-level bourbon.

Mashbill: No official breakdown is out there. Based on taste notes ("vanilla, oak, light spice, creamy") and its positioning, it likely uses the classic corn-heavy mash (≥51% corn), with smaller amounts of rye or wheat and malted barley.

Awards: It's won several notable awards—Silver Outstanding and Silver Best in Class at the International Wine & Spirit Competition .

Taste: A little watery and thin. But give it a moment: the flavor slowly builds warmth and character. By the second sip, it really starts to show itself. Loads of vanilla, black tea, and a mix of herbal elements, alongside molasses, cinnamon, green apples, and sour cherries. There's some woody astringency in the background, but never too sharp. 👉 Again, a higher proof (say, 45%) would've likely elevated this dramatically.

Finish: Short and sweet—literally. You'll get vanilla, brown sugar, rye spice, and a touch of simple syrup, with a whisper of bitter wood on the fade-out. 👉 It doesn't linger long, but it does make you want another sip.

Honestly, overall Old Virginia 6 Year Old is a steal for the price. At just €12, it completely outshines other entry-level bottles like Jack Daniel's No. 7 or Jim Beam White Label. This isn't just a cheap bottle that "does the job"—it's actually delicate, smooth, and genuinely tasty.

This is one of those bottles that reminds you: great whiskey doesn't have to be expensive. I'd happily recommend it to anyone just getting into whiskey—or even seasoned drinkers looking for an easy daily sipper with solid character.

This bottle genuinely impressed me. For something so accessible and affordable, Old Virginia 6 Year Old manages to check all the right boxes—flavor, balance, smoothness, and value. That's why I'm giving this one the official WhiskyJourneyz Seal of Approval. It meets every key criterion and easily scores 80+ points on my scale—an absolute banger for the price. I also award this whiskey 6.5/10. Buy it. Try it. Drink responsibly.

Some of the photos featured in this article are not my own; I've credited the original owners. All other images bearing my logo were taken and are owned by me.

Feel free to check out the scores and rankings I've given to each whisky I reviewed.

Thanks for reading—I hope you enjoyed it! Here's to many more drams. Sláinte!

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