Brian’s Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Review:
reviewed 28-January-2022
EARLY TIMES BOTTLED-IN-BOND BOURBON REVIEW:
“I’m really tempted to add Early Times BiB to the [Advent Calendar] list, because I think everyone should try it.”
— Tom, BWE Member
Early Times Bottled-in-Bond (ET BiB) is another from the Dec 2021 BWE Whiskey Advent Calendar and the Day 6 offering surprised many of us in the group. At $24.95 a liter it is a no-brainer to have in one’s bunker along side of Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond. Both are great pours to close out an evening when just a wee bit more is needed.
While Early Times Bottled-in-Bond is considered by many to be a bottom shelf bourbon, do not pass it by. The aromas are remarkable with light and sweet complexities. And while the taste doesn’t quite follow with what the nose hints, the dried fruits, bittersweet chocolate, dark sweets, barrel spice and char make this a nice pour. And like our BWE member suggested, ET BiB should be in everyone’s bar or bunker.
EARLY TIMES BOTTLED-IN-BOND VITAL STATS:
Category: Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
Region: Louisville, KY
Distillery: Barton 1792 Distillery
Company: Sazerac Co., New Orleans, LA.
Mash Bill: 79% corn, 11% rye, 10% malted barley
Barrel Char: unpublished
Barrel entry proof: unpublished
Age: nas, minimum of four years in new charred oak barrels
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 16086
Size: 1000ML
Price: $24.95 (Dec 2021, Idaho)
Learn more at Early Times Bottled in Bond.
ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:
Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces, were added into two Glencairns. My daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
EARLY TIMES BOTTLED-IN-BOND NOSE:
Even before ET BiB is brought to my nose I sense fruit tree blossoms and sweet corn silk floating on a warm early summer breeze. As I nose I get berries and apricots blended with allspice and white pepper. The aroma is somewhat bready but lighter, like a buttery caramelized maple sugar glazed breakfast pastry, sparingly filled with a light compote of apples, finely chopped pecans and cinnamon. I also smell a hint of milk chocolate and rich vanilla making this a delightful treat. This gentle aroma rounded by dry tooled leather, air seasoned and then toasted oak.
EARLY TIMES BOTTLED-IN-BOND PALATE:
The first sip of ET BiB is warm with subtle flavors of sun-dried field corn and dusty grain. Dark dried apples, stale raisins, and figs dusted with toasted cinnamon, pepper and rye replace the light fruit aromas. The dark tones continue with flavors of bittersweet chocolate, dark vanilla, burnt caramel and dark molasses drizzled over toasted hazelnuts. The added depth is enhanced by notes of old leather, strong oak, barrel spice and char.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
While ET BiB is gentle, the aromas and flavors do not quite match one another. I get a light sweetness on the nose and dark depth on the palate. Still, the pour is soft, mellow and smooth in the mouth, and quite easy to hold. However, with an aggressive chew, ET BiB can give a bit of a bite. After each nosing and sip, long clinging legs return the liquid to a darkened terracotta pot colored pool, leaving behind a long lasting crown of clinging droplets.
EARLY TIMES BOTTLED-IN-BOND FINISH:
Early Times Bottled-in-Bond has a medium-long to long finish without many flavors. I sense dry grain and warming black pepper. There is a touch of sweet, which to me comes across as burnt caramel and dark molasses, but it is the wood spice and barrel char which seems most prevalent. And when the final drops are gone, the aroma of barnyard earth and sweet oak waft from the empty Glencairn. All-in-all, this is a good bourbon at a great price and one I am happy to have on my shelf.
MY RATING: 86/100
Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
Click 86/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
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