Early Times Kentucky Whisky Review

In 1860, in Shivley, Kentucky, there was a distillery called Early Times Station. There was plenty of limestone spring water surrounding the distillery, making it an ideal venue. Their whiskey was called Early Times Whisky, and it was pretty much ignored. That is, until 1920, when the Volstead Act was passed, and Prohibition cut off most distilling in the country. The Early Times Station was one of the few allowed to continue distilling whiskey for medicinal purposes, and the brand began to thrive.  

 

In 1923, the Brown-Forman Company purchased Early Times, which became the best-selling whiskey in the United States for almost 30 years. Early Times began its life as Bourbon, but in 1982, Brown-Forman added the use of used cooperage to age this whiskey, resulting in its change of legal designation, becoming simply Kentucky Whiskey (or in Early Times’ case, Whisky). Outside of the United States, and despite the use of vintage barrels, Early Times was still marketed as Bourbon.

 

In 2017, Early Times released a Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon that could legally carry the designation. But the flagship Early Times is still a Kentucky Whisky. Early Times was sold to the Sazerac Company in 2020 and is currently distilled at its Barton 1792 campus.

 

Early Times is a blend of Straight Bourbon and “Bourbon mash” aged in used barrels for at least three years. It is readily available worldwide. I found a 50mL taster for $0.99 at a random liquor store and am using it for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and learn what makes this whiskey so popular!

 

• Whiskey Type: American Whiskey
• Distiller: Barton 1792
• Age: 3 years   
• Mashbill: 79% Corn, 11% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley
• Cooperage: New and used charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 40% ABV (80°)
• Price per 750mL: $12.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whiskey neat. The liquid was the color of golden straw. It created a thinner rim with thick, wavy, fast tears.

 

Nose: I let Early Times rest for about ten minutes before I started my sniffing journey. The aroma was full of corn and caramel, and included a hint of berry fruits. I identified mild butterscotch as I drew the air into my mouth.

 

Palate: Early Times had a very creamy mouthfeel and failed to produce any palate shock. On the front, I tasted corn and caramel—the middle featured dense vanilla, which attempted to hide Flintstone’s vitamins. Rye and oak spices hit the back of my palate.

 

Finish: Corn blended with oak and rye spices, in a muted beginning, which was followed by intense black pepper that, considering this whiskey’s proof, I was unprepared for. The duration ran 0:52, placing it in the short-to-medium venue.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Early Times is a dirt-cheap whiskey that punches above its weight. While it won’t knock your socks off, it is a relatively easy drinker. There’s nothing offensive about it.

 

Would I buy it for my whiskey library? No. Would I turn away a pour? Also, no. My Bar rating is perfect for Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.