Every so often you stumble on a bottle that makes you shake your head and say, How in the world is this this cheap? Early Times Bottled-in-Bond is exactly that bourbon. This won’t be a complicated post because the bottle itself isn’t complicated—it’s just absurdly good for the price and needs very little dressing up.
Early Times BIB is one of those rare pours that consistently punches way above its weight class. You will never find it for more than $25, and in certain markets you can still grab a liter for around $15. Fifteen dollars. For a liter. In 2025. That alone borders on the miraculous.
There’s a little friendly debate in the bourbon world about the “black top” (Brown-Forman era) versus the “blue top” (Sazerac era), but the truth is fans find a lot to love in both versions. Early Times has been around since 1860, originally distilled by Jack Beam—Jim Beam’s nephew—and later becoming one of America’s top-selling whiskeys throughout the mid-20th century. When Brown-Forman resurrected the Bottled-in-Bond version in 2017, it instantly became a value darling. Sazerac acquired the brand in 2020, moved production to Barton 1792, and the blue-cap era began. Bourbon drinkers still debate their preference, but both have held onto the spirit of what makes this bottle great: honest, straightforward bourbon made the old-fashioned way at an everyday-drinker price.
As for my own experience: I’m about to finish one bottle, and another is already waiting in the wings.
The aroma is rich and surprisingly inviting—waves of roasted peanuts, cinnamon, and soft tree fruit roll out of the glass. On the palate, it doesn’t have that thick, syrupy viscosity of higher-priced bourbons, but it still carries enough weight to coat the tongue. Those classic peanutty notes return, joined by caramel, apples, cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla. It’s grounded, warm, and familiar in the best possible way.
The finish? Could it be longer? Sure. Could it be more assertive? Absolutely. But again: this is a $15–$25 bottle. And for that price, the mid-length finish—with lingering brown sugar, caramel, and light oak—is downright impressive.
Ultimately, Early Times Bottled-in-Bond is the kind of bourbon that won’t blow anyone away until you tell them how inexpensive it was. Then the eyebrows go up. Then they want another pour. I’ve shared it with friends without hesitation, and I’ve enjoyed plenty of it alone. And I’ll be doing that again—probably tonight.
Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.
