​Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey
Distilled and bottled by Barton Distillery, Bardstown, KY

Shelf: ​Middle 
Price:   $27
Proof: 93.7
Age: No age statement, best guess is 5 to 6 years
Mash Bill:
Color:  Medium Amber
Nose: Cinnamon and warm oak.  Corn, vanilla, and toffee notes.  Hints of summer rain.
Taste:   First impressions are of rye and oak.  Corn notes roll off the edges of the tongue.  Has a lively flavor with a lot going on.  The alcohol is sharp but not unpleasant.  As it finishes the oak comes on a little bit at the end, but it’s rounded and soft. ​

Value:  Excellent value.
Score:  87
Cut To The Chase:   Yes, nice daily bourbon

I’ve enjoyed 1792 Small Batch since it first hit the market several years ago.  Well balanced if a bit strong with the oak on the finish.    A small batch that delivers a lot of flavor for the price.  Goes down easy with a very smooth finish. 
 
Excellent bourbon for the money.  Solid and consistent over the years.   It’s been relatively easy to find.  Don’t hold it against 1792 if you find it at CVS or your grocery.   Hard pressed to find anything at that price to match 1792 Small Batch.    Broke my heart when Barton’s warehouse collapsed in 2018.     Hopefully it won’t affect the supply of the 1792 line of great bourbons including the single barrel and barrel proof which I will review shortly.   Also excited about the 1972 Bottled-In-Bond which was  rated   # 9 in the  Whiskey Advocate  2018 Whisky of the Year.  
 
I’ve also bought 1792 in the 1.75 Liter size which, for no good reason at all, tastes slightly better than the 750ML.  Since bourbon does not age in the bottle, there should be no difference between the smaller size and the larger bottling.  The chemistry should be the same – same bourbon in a larger bottle.  If you find it in the 1.75 Liter size, give it a try and see what you think.  I may be crazy, but I prefer the larger bottling of bourbon whenever I can find it. 

1972 deserves a place in your bar.    Really good everyday bourbon. 
 
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​Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Bottled-In-Bond
Distilled by Brown-Forman Distillery Company
Louisville, Kentucky 

​Shelf: Top 
Price Range: $55
Proof: 100
Age:  No age given, best estimate 10 to 12 years
​Mash Bill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Color:  Rich Red Amber
Nose: Rich full-bodied sweet corn.  Smooth mellow oak.  Citrus notes with some light cherry overtones.  Warm leather. 
Taste:   Surprising smooth and lite for 100 proof.  Initial soft and velvet on the tongue.  Soft and comforting like a warm fog on a cool summer’s night.  It has some heat, but softer than expected.  Fully balanced between corn and oak with just a lite dash of rye.  Let it roll around your tongue.  Delay swallowing and you’ll be reward with a lovely bourbon syrup that is like candy. ​

Value:  Great whiskey  – paying for maturity
Score:  94
Cut To The Chase:

1897 reinvents the idea of Bottled-In-Bond as a softer more balanced whiskey.  The oak is warm and inviting without a single note of harshness.  The corn rounds out the whiskey with just enough rye to keep it interesting but not stealing the thunder. The wood is warm and inviting.  Notes of leather add warmth to the whiskey.  It’s easy to get lost in this bourbon.  There is so much happening, but it isn’t self-conscious or drawing attention to itself.  It’s just there -- in the pocket.  

Brown-Forester showed great patience in allowing 1897 to fully mature and reach its peak.  Brown-Forrester is really knocking it out of the park.   In the last year years, they have jumped to the head of the class.   At $55, this is a getting a great whiskey.  This is bourbon you will want to show off.    When your friends come over, you will go through this very fast, so after your do an initial tasting, you might want to quickly bring out something else and put this bottle away for later.  I could be happy holed up in a cabin by a lake with bottle of this stuff.  Don’t bother calling, I’m not answering the phone. 
 
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Blanton’s is the original single barrel crafted by Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee in 1984, and continues to deliver a great bourbon.  The rye gives it a nice bite on the finish and helps the flavor linger.  On the palette Blanton’s goes from soft to sharp to smooth to satisfying.   The oak is full bodied and completely satisfying. The sweetness come from deep within the wood. 
 
While there is great consistency between barrels, as with any single barrel, there are also slight differences.   When I can find them, I like to have a couple of bottles open to compare.    Unfortunately, The Original Single Barrel from Warehouse H is getting harder to find and the price continues to go up.   I can see the day coming when Blanton's will only be available by allotment only – which will be a terrible thing.  As demand rises, so does the price.  But even at these prices, Blanton’s is still one of  the most  outstanding and consistent bourbons.  Since Blanton’s is warehoused exclusively in Warehouse H, the amount produced annually is limited, so it's doubtful Buffalo Trace will increase the barrels.    
 
It's also great to have the detail on the label including Rick Number, Barrel Number and Bottle Number.  Buffalo Trace, if you are reading this, I would also like a map of Warehouse H to see the location of each rick to better understand the thermodynamics of Warehouse H.    It would be fun to compare  barrels from all over the warehouse. 
 
Blanton's sets the standard and  is what you should expect from a premium bourbon.  Delivers on all fronts. There is a reason Blanton’s sells out whenever it appears on the shelf.  It is released throughout the year so it’s good to stay on the lookout for one of American’s finest bourbons.  

PS.   When ordering an Old Fashioned at the  restaurant  or bar, I   always pay extra for a Blanton's Old Fashioned. 

Elmer T. Lee RIP   1919-2013

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​Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distilled by Heaven Hills Distilleries, Inc.
D.S.P. -KY-1, Louisville, Kentucky 50% ALC (100 Proof)

Shelf: Bottom
Price Range:  Under $20
Proof: 100
​Age:  While no age is given, as a straight whiskey with no age statement, J.T.S. Brown must be at least 4 years in the barrel.  My guess is probably between 4 & 5 years, leaning more toward 4 years.
Mash Bill:
Color: Light amber
Nose: Warm citrus, orange, hints of oak. 
Taste:  Rye jumps out along with the high proof.  The glow is rich and bright.  Flavors of warm oak.  Just enough corn to round out the bourbon, but not a sweet or soft taste.  This is bottled in bond and proud of it.
 
Value:  A lot of bourbon for the price 
Score: 88
Cut To The Chase:

J.T.S. Brown was first introduced to me by a clerk at Toddy’s Liquors in Bardstown, Kentucky.  He mentioned it was the bourbon Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felson asked for in the movie, The Hustler. “Preacher. Go down and get me a bottle of J.T.S Brown. No ice – no glass.”  I had to try it.  At the time it was $11.95, so not much to lose.  Love at first sip.
 
As it touches your lips you think it’s going to be lite, but then as it washes over your tongue, the 100 proof takes over and everything heats up.  The rye and the proof combine to invigorate your mouth and sinus, and then the storm passes as the wood notes rise and begin to smooth out.
 
J.T.S. Brown is a really satisfying bourbon – if you like 100 proof whiskey – which I do – and if you like your bourbon strong – which I also do.  Not for the faint at heart.   But for the proof, it’s remarkably smooth and goes down easy. 
 
Everyone is not going to like J.T.S. Brown. If you are new to spirits and bourbon, this will probably be overwhelming.  Since the 1800’s Bottled-In-Bond was the way bourbon was predominately drank, but that changed in the 1970’s and 80’s with the decline of bourbon sales and the weakening of the proof to appeal to a wider market.  Higher proof is back and not soon enough.
 
JTS Brown is further proof that you do not need to spend a lot of money to find good bourbon.  It is Bottom Shelf because of price and the age, but it’s a bourbon I keep going back to time and again. I also like to introduce it to friends and see their response.  It stands up next to bourbons at twice the price.
 
J.T.S. Brown can be hard to find.  Predominately found in the south and in the Chicago area. Not surprising since Chicago is a great bourbon city.  I also found a bottle in Washington State at The Wine Shed in Winthrop, Washington, but never in Los Angeles.  If you see one, buy it to enjoy and round out your collection.  At $15 a bottle, you can’t go wrong.  You can always add some water or drink it over ice.  But I like it neat and enjoy the heat.
 
It’s not going to hold up against high end bourbons like Old Forester Bottled-In-Bond or Four Roses Single Barrel, but it’s fun to try a bourbon that packs a punch and hearkens to the days old time Bottled-In Bond-bourbon.

Reviewed by: Jack Epps, Jr.
 
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