Early Times Kentucky Whisky. A Brown-Forman bottom shelf brand there’s usually not a lot to say about unless you are doing shots or making certain cocktails. It’s an old timer among American whiskey labels, first being established in 1860 and later acquired by its present owner in 1923. It was once a bonded bourbon recipe and, in memory of this, a special edition variant is coming to market honoring this formula.

Early Times in this day and age is not technically a bourbon as it doesn’t meet the legal definition as such – hence it being called Kentucky Whisky. The new Early Times Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky does, however, and goes also one step further, meeting the criteria to be bonded. According to Brown-Forman, the bourbon has the following things going for it:

crafted with pure water

a mash bill composed of 79% corn, 11% rye and 10% malted barley

fermented with a proprietary yeast strain

aged a minimum of four years in new, charred oak barrels

Plans call for this whiskey, bottled at 100 proof, to be available starting in July in select markets, including Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Oregon. It will price for around $23 for a 1-liter bottle. You’ll find official tasting notes for it below from Brown-Forman.

Aroma: Light caramel corn with hints of citrus rind, honey and soft oak

Flavor: Soft caramel corn melds with shortbread cookie coated with a hint of chocolate and oak; a trace of cinnamon spice lingers in the deep sweetness

Finish: Hints of caramel corn linger on

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