J.T.S. Brown Bottled-In-Bond
Spirit: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: J.T.S. Brown’s Son Company (Haven Hill)
Aged: NAS (at least 4 years)
Price: $17
Proof: 100
About J.T.S. Brown’s Son Company:
Named after John Thompson Street Brown Sr. who opened a wholesale liquor business with his half-brother. This business would be the seed that eventually grew into Brown-Forman.
The J.T.S. Brown’s Son Company has D.S.P – KY-31, meaning it was an earlier distillery. Though the original location of its distillation burnt down in the Haven Hill fire of 1996, it is still aged in Bardstown in the surviving warehouses. It is now distilled in Louisville at the Heaven Hill Bernheim Distillery.
About J.T.S. Brown:
The J.T.S. Brown’s Son Company produced this particular bottle beginning in 1855, and through a series of switches it eventually ended up in the hands of Haven Hill.
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Nose
(4)
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Palate
(4)
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Finish
(4)
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Heat Vs. Proof
(3.5)
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Value
(4.5)
Notes & Review
Nose: Clean, pronounced nose.
Notes of spiced oak, deep caramel, tobacco, damp oak leaf, and frosted mini wheat.
Palate: Off-dry sweet and mouthfilling. Nice swaths of toasted oak, shredded wheat, tobacco, baking spice, and burnt caramel are strong on the front. In the background notes of charred buckwheat, leather, and charred oak lend a multi-dimensional continuity to the savory profile.
Finish: Medium length and simple finish consisting of charred oak, leather, smoldered tobacco, and baking spices.
Review:
I reiterate that this is just one of those objectively great pours.
Only available in certain states, it’s one that’s worth stocking if you have a chance. At under $20 a bottle, it is just a great value.
The profile is definitely more savory than you might expect from a younger bourbon, and the flavor is complex and developed for something that is young and priced as a bottom-shelf pour. The heat is right on par for 100 proof, and the flavor properly matches the relatively smooth and full texture.
Overall, this is an incredibly well-rounded pour that should be more expensive. It’s a great bottle worth seeking out for the price. It’s also got enough backbone to stand up to most light to neutral cocktails reasonably well if you’re looking for a cheaper whiskey to use or are in a pinch. Though, this can and should be enjoyed straight as well.
Greg Sinadinos started his spirits journey writing a whiskey periodical for Fine Tobacco NYC Magazine. He began answering review requests under a social media page he named “Whiskey Culture,” which quickly merged with Greg’s passion for connecting with others and his interest in history.
Today, Greg travels the country not just looking for great whiskey, but also exploring the history and individuals that the whiskey community is founded upon. He has authored “Whiskey History From Around The World” and is the host of “The Rickhouse” web series.
