Hannah’s Early Times Bottled in Bond Review
Original review written January 28, 2022
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Early Times Bottled in Bond will easily move into the daily sippers rotation. It’s inexpensive; you get it by the liter; it’s bottled in bond… could I ask for more? 90/100
VITALS:
– Made In: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Early Times Distillery Co.
– Company: Sazerac Co., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: nas; minimum of four years in new charred oak barrels
– Mash Bill: Corn=79%; Rye=10%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: undisclosed char
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 50% (100 proof – Bottled in Bond)
– Size: 1 liter
– Price: $24.95 USD in Idaho in 2021
Visit earlytimesbottledinbond.com for more information
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed this spirit neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this bourbon here!
SETTING:
Picture Small Town America, early morning, fresh air, and mountains. Maybe the road in front of the little bed n’ breakfast is paved; maybe it isn’t. The roads are empty all the same, and the town is barely starting to stir with lights in gas stations and restaurants turning on to greet the new day. Early Times BiB is warm, deep, and rich and will match the crisp morning air perfectly and make each breath in the lungs that much richer. Early Times for an early morning.
Photo taken by Hannah Dawson in Custer, Wyoming
NOSE:
Initial inhales are noticeably sweet with fig, brown sugar, caramel, and a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg hitting the nose. There’s even a crushed nut (pecan?) component that makes the aforementioned scents seem buttery, if not also syrupy. The glass has not even fully warmed up yet, so I’m already impressed with the intensity of aromas here. It truly smells like a dark stone fruit preserve, ready to be smeared on a pastry. It’s a rich and deep smell, despite perhaps not being the most complex. Each aroma goes on and on, surrounded by a dusty grain and a very mild cedar essence. It’s the kind of nose that I don’t even want to bother writing for. I just want to sip.
Even though this pour is 100 proof, it does not come across that high on the nose at all. Deep inhales barely pull much more than a tingle of bite; it’s just full and inviting without interest in appearing aggressive.
PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: Raspy and full-bodied. The wood and bitter makes it impossible to not feel every drop with its oiliness.
– Balance: Solid. While the bitterness does sit a little forward, the quick chase of sweet to cleanse the palate, along with a woody foundation, makes it all work.
– Visual: Terracotta in color, this leaves behind a perfect, continuous crown. The legs aren’t quite so viscous, but they are evenly spaced and fall fairly slow.
– Taste: Apples, brown sugar and raw nutmeg cross the palate first, immediately drawing up the image of baked apples spruced up for both a touch of bitter and sweet. The nuts from the nose are here also, with the flavor most similar to pecans; however, the buttery-ness and slight bitterness isn’t too different from walnuts. There’s also a greater grain content on the palate than there was on the nose, contributing to some of the texture of the mouth feel and making it a bit raspier. With some searching, I can also find bitter molasses, with just a hint of sweetness making full circle to the original apple and brown sugar flavors.
Wood is in much greater quantity here on the palate. Gone is the cedar, replaced by oak – oak new and fresh enough, I practically feel myself chewing on wood chips. This grows in intensity, especially as the whiskey moves to the back of the palate. While I normally prefer sweetness over wood in my bourbons, this is growing on me considerably, and I find myself looking forward to each sip more than the last.
The alcohol is still incredibly mild, as it was on the nose. With a Kentucky chew, I find pastry, more oak, more molasses and suddenly some baking chocolate chips. Everything about this whiskey screams like it wants to be bitter, but it changes its mind at the last second to be almost sweet. In this way, I find it quite entertaining.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Medium to long. I have warmth sitting at the very back of my palate, but there is not much flavor here to keep the warmth alive too, too long.
– Between Sips: What is here between sips, is almost entirely oak wood chips after being soaked in water. It’s a familiar flavor for a bourbon, so much so, that it’s rewarding to find it.
– No More: This stays consistent as I go further into the glass. If anything, the wood components emerge more and the bitter notes dissipate slightly, but they do not disappear. The follow up of sweet is still present also, if not partially subdued. Overall, I’m impressed and pleased.
The empty Glencairn actually almost smells… like root beer? There is a mix of smoky barrel char to mix with the sweet, and while this may not be my favorite part of this bourbon, it’s still a solid finish to a really impressive pour.
WORTH THE PRICE?
Under $30 USD for a whole liter? And it tastes rich and deep? Of course it’s worth it – keep it on hand always! This may even contend for my personal “Best Value Bourbon” right along with Eagle Rare.
EARLY TIMES BOTTLED IN BOND REVIEW RATING: 90/100
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