Bourbon of the Week - Early Times

Early Times is a good whiskey. It is not a bourbon because it is aged in used barrels and therefore does not meet the official requirements. This is not necessarily a bad thing though; all Scotch is aged in used bourbon barrels as well. The second use of the barrels makes the whiskey a bit less woody than most bourbons. The taste is pleasant and its finish is very smooth. This is not a sipping whiskey though; it is best in shots where a smooth finish is desired or as a mixer. Its cheap enough that you don't feel bad about wasting a good bourbon in coke. If it cost more than $20 a bottle it wouldn't compare to more flavorful spirits like Maker's Mark or Jim Beam Black but, at $10 a bottle it is an excellent buy.

Bourbon of the Week - Kessler

Kessler Bourbon

This bourbon was originally produced by Julius Kessler in 1888 in Leadsville, Colorado.  Kessler was an immigrant from Hungary and his bourbon was popular in the Wild West of the late 19th century.  The slogan for the bourbon is "Smooth as Silk".   The brand was purchased in 1935 by Seagrams and was marketed as a drink below their Crown Royal price point.

The bourbon is 80 proof and is astonishingly smooth for a blended bourbon.  The body is a deep amber in color, has good legs and the nose reveals deep tones of licorice, citrus and leather.

Seagrams now produces the bourbon in Louisville (over on 18th Street) and blends and bottles in Clermont, KY at the Jim Beam Distillery.

In Louisville, I picked up a fifth for 10.99 and was impressed by the bang for the buck. The closest comparison to this product so far is Old Crow, which is one of my favorite everyday drinking bourbons.