Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

N: Honey, sweet corn, barrel wood and spice, ethanol (which for some reason reminds me of potato vodka), some herbal notes, some floral notes. Not too deep and starts to go off the rails the more you swirl, but a solid, traditional bourbon nose. P: Caramel, caramel corn, honey, sweet corn, some green rye grain notes, dash of oak that has a peanut shell character to it, maybe some red fruit in the background. F: Barrel spice, cinnamon, hint of char, caramel, sweet corn, some of the herbal character from the nose, little bit of heat. This bottle gets a lot of hype, and I looked for it for a year or more before finally spotting one on a bottom shelf (where it belongs), but in the end it's really just a middle of the road BIB. Its strength is its price point - it's a good value at $20 for a liter at 100 proof. Credit where credit is due on that point. But the juice on the whole is a bottom shelf bourbon. It's a bit harsh and a bit flat. You expect that at the price point, it might even be part of the charm, but let's not pretend there aren't vastly superior bourbons out there. There are many. And there are also other bargain bourbons that offer a little more or something a little different. This slots in nicely in the bargain category, but it's not replacing anything in my regular rotation. ____________ Please come join an unofficial Distiller community on Discord: https://discord.gg/VSmCvzAQfH. We chat spirits (and other things) in real time while being a great resource to each other for recommendations, finding deals, and generally enjoying the journey together. (If the link is expired, please post a comment and I will provide a new one.)

I have the Early Times BiB with the black plastic cap, bottled at Brown Forman. I would compare this to Old Forester 1910, but less intense / less sweet. This is very drinkable neat, with a nice caramel-ish aroma and flavor, and a respectable finish. I also have some super highly rated unicorns, and while this doesn't have the oomph of those, it can be just as enjoyable for what it is.