Early Times VS. Early Times - WHICH IS BEST?!
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- Опубликовано: 31 июл 2022
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@SLB = The Brown Foreman sample bottle has been opened at least a year.
Thank you Keith! Glad we used your samples for tasting.
It's such a trivial thing, but I like the videos with Trenton visibly in the videos so much more. Makes it a much more fun video having the duo.
Thank you!
Agreed
Me too
I have never tried the Brown Foreman and to be honest didn’t know there were 2. I have always loved this pour and buy it whenever I can. It was awesome when it was picked the best BIB and literally the next day I picked up 2 bottles. I also buy OGD BIB as well. Thanks for all these videos and helping us bourbon drinkers out
Thanks for the great video. Just picked up my first ET BiB this past weekend in NY. They don’t offer it here in PA, so looking forward to cracking open the bottle later this week.
Tom T
Yea, when you first mentioned that the purchase date was in 2020 I knew that all the juice had to be just about the same as Saz would have not had time to produce their own product. Early Times from either bottle is a great drink. Thanks guys for all your videos, really enjoy them.
One of your best yet! Really enjoy the background information about Brown Forman and Sazerac. Will be searching for an Early Times BIB for sure!
The Brown Forman version has been one of my favorites since it was released. Since Brown-Forman has their own cooperage, I suspect that there will be differences from the barrel char and wood sources, unless Sazerac also agreed to source the barrels from BF. Also, sometimes it is good to admit that variances are so slight that it does not make any difference. In this case, both bottles in your comparison were delicious and had same flavor profile. For a whole liter, still a good deal at $25.
Great video and comparison! I just wish it was more available to get in my area. I've only been able to find one bottle in the past 2 years of looking, and had to drive an hour out of state to get it. I do think it's excellent and will get more if I can ever find it again. I've seen a similar show on a different channel where they were complaining about how the Brown Forman was so much better than the Sasarac, and that Sasarac ruined the recipe, etc. I think they need to go back and re-evaluate their tastings. Thanks again!!!
Everyone is most definitely entitled to their opinions. I respect that but humbly disagree.
Thanks for the review! I found the results very interesting. I had similar findings in my own blind test, but hear other RUclipsrs who feel very differently. Great job! Thanks guys.
Everyone will have their opinion on this one and that’s ok. My sources are very close to the action so I have to believe them.
Great show. Thank you so much for sharing the information. It all made sense. 👍😊
That was an excellent video and review. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The "Sazerac" juice being Brown Forman seems very plausible. I do love the placebo effect, and I'm as guilty as any other. For some reason, I got into vintage Old Spice cologne a while back. Apparently P&G bought the brand and did change the bottle art a bit. People swore the new cologne was different but P&G swore they changed nothing. To your point, though, I'd always expect subtle variations among products that are supposed to be identical. What a tangent..... however, sounds like this needs to be revisited with 'real' Sazerac juice when available.
That would be interesting!
Great info. Thanks. Haven’t tried it but have been looking for it.
We did a double blind with both Saz and BF Early Times. I believe most of us thought the Saz version was the better bottle. We were all shocked they were both ET.
I just opened my very first bottle of this bourbon and am pleased with the quality for the small price paid. Actually bought 2 - First store had it on sale for $19 after tax and a second store had a old price on the shelf but honored it @ 12.50. Wow ! It was a good day !
Very good day! Congrats and enjoy!
Appreciate the comparison!
One additional detail to look for is the distillery marking on the bottle. There are 3 different bottles in the last 3 years.
Correct, all three are a little different.
I would have been more than happy to send all 3 different bottles, unopened, to SLB.
I'm still trying to find a bottle!
Great stuff as always guys!
I totally agree with the open bottles. I have a ECBP that I thought was like drinking fire water with no flavor and 8 months later I finally tried it again, and now it is like dark fruit, raisins and delicious. I wish I would have bought another.
Makes a big difference!
I have had both, but it has been a while since I've had the Brown-Forman. I remember it being quite tasty though. I gone through a half bottle of the Sazerac and love it! I recently found it on sale for $14.99 so I grabbed three bottles lol
Thanks for the hard work. Keep em coming guys.😊
I too didn’t realize there was two versions. I’ve had a bottle back sometime and wish now I knew which one it was. Then you said what you did at the end so wow…. Love the video!
Great content! I just bought a bottle of this and I'm really looking forward to trying it out! Thanks for the info and Happy New Year!!
Yes! Great stuff, 100% agree on batch variance. There can also be age variance between batches, BiB has to be at least 4, but some batches could be older than others.
If you had enough sample left, would be interesting to see you swap glasses for a second tasting to judge if/how the glass difference affected things.
I understand the math of June 2020 - 2024 for BiB, but that’s if Sazerac waits for new distillate to come of age. They could always use BT1, BT2, or 1792 mashbill barrels already aging if they want, they’d just have to make sure the batch met the BiB criteria.
Possible scenario. Really hard to be 100% exact.
Interesting info. I had some early times recently and didn’t think it was what I remembered. Could just be I was biased against the sale. Was not available for a bit but have seen it again. Maybe I’ll grab a liter and give it a go. Thanks!
If it is coming in a tanker, so much for the different blenders theory. I think I am going to grab a Sazerac and do a side by side. I’ll keep you posted. Where I am, there are still a few Brown Forman bottles floating around. Might grab another one of those too. Great info all around in this video.
Thanks!
Cracked open my first bottle of early times while watching this video and sheesh! Talk about bang for your buck! Great video 👍
Bought this yesterday because of this video. It is excellent!!! Thank you.
I've admittedly never tried the Brown Forman bottling, but to me it only made sense that the Sazerac bottlings were currently the same liquid, given the required aging. Very interesting video. Thanks, guys!
But the barrels are not blended by the same hands.
they bought the brand not the whisky. The recipe is the same but not the yeast. The black caps are brown forman the blue cal distilled elsewear.
Rick - they bought whiskey as well. The DSP numbers on the label don’t lie.
The real test will be when the actual Sazerac distilled juice starts hitting the streets. It will certainly be different. As it is now, it's the same juice just bottled by a different company (and maybe aging finished in different rickhouses).
^^^^^^^ this.
Absolutely correct!
It makes sense that they are so close, given that both bottles were distilled by Brown Forman.
I was fortunate enough to purchase both recently… actually was able to purchase 2 BF bottles and a case of the “New” Sazerac bottles. I’m honestly splitting hairs and if there is a difference my palate doesn’t seem to care 🤷🏻♂️.
Great review and I’m starting to think you are spot on with Sazerac using BF until 2024 or 2025 for aging purposes.
Thanks for doing this side by side , great video guys
I’m only now starting to taste some of these popular “bargain” bourbons like Early Times and Rebel 100, and I was pleasantly surprised by the screw-top, $25 liter of Early Times (Sazarac, I presume). I can’t compare it to its predecessor, but can confirm it’s a fantastic value.
Thanks SLB. It's good to know there isn't as much variation as some commentators (e.g. Bourbon Junkies) have said. The Bourbon Junkies, while entertaining, tend to stake out very rigid positions. I guess there is a possibility for batch variation, but I'm guessing the truth lies closer to your experiences.
I realize everyone will have their spin and I respect that. My life experiences make me believe it’s not as complicated as it may seem.
@@slbdrinks well said, Kurt/Trenton! Well said indeed. Cheers.🥃
Just bought a bottle of the Saz , or what I thought was Saz distillery , yesterday, havent opened one yet....Now i really cant wait. Thank you so much for the "inside" info.
Great review, great info and solid reasoning for the similarities and differences in the bottles. In 3-4 years we might se a much bigger difference but for now, a liter of this at $19.95 is a go to daily drinker.
What do you get a liter of this for 20 bucks?
@@dabblindawn3404 Where? Oregon. One of the few benefits of a state run liquor store system is the prices are always at retail price. No markup.
No doubt about it!
Glad I'm stocking up on early times !!!
I went out & purchased a ET bib after watching the BiB competition you guys did. The store I went to actually only had the black top Brown Foreman.. it's only been open a couple of weeks, but man it's opening up nicely. it's a solid pour for the price.. I was going to get the Sazerac bottle this past weekend. But I stumbled across and Elijah Craig barrel proof c 920 for $80 remembering kurt saying how good that bottle was. I had to grab it instead.. lol.
Good choice lol! Now you have both!
@@slbdrinks I had been riding the fence on the Et bib, & you guys were so right on that one . I honestly didn't think I'd see the c920 sitting on a shelf ,& after kurt saying it was good I just couldn't resist.. love what you guys & gals are doing with the channel. It's very entertaining as well as informational.. cheers
Now that I finally got me hands on a bottle. I must say it’s amazing. I haven’t had the Brown Forman version. Me and a buddy of mine definitely enjoyed it.
Good Info Thanks. Maybe Barton is just bottling. that seems like a great deal of extra expense though. Thanks for the video
Great video guys! Seems you are the only ones on the internet that share my opinion 🤣 I see very little difference, and slightly gravitate to the new bottle
Thank you Kurt for relaying what you learned from your industry sources. It's basic math, BIB has to be 4yrs. old minimum, Sazerac bought ET in 2020, so anything in a bottle today was distilled by B-F. What could change is who is doing the blending of the existing barrels until late 2024. The Sasarac blending team could turn out some subtle changes to the flavor profile. Time will tell. Still haven't found the ET BIB here in central Wisconsin.
It's not talked about much but vintage could play a part. If 2021 was a hotter than normal year, the sazerac bottles could reflect that.
@@hopshlooken you make a good point ☝️. I agree with @3FROGLTD about the math doesn't make sense for Sazerac to be a different juice.
You are assuming they didn’t have other 4yo distillate to use.
@tothepoint and BiB has to be from one season only so that could introduce additional variability into batches then might be present for other bottles without that restriction because in non-BiB they can blend from a larger selection of barrels. Though I admit I have no idea if this is true
@@chrisd3648 that's a great point. Because of the BIB, they can't just throw any 4yo in there. That's the point of the bonding.
I just found my first bottle today! Very excites to crack into it. Cheers guys!
Great video! Would love to see to see these two Early Times against the new Cooper's Craft 100.
That would be fun!
2 quick things, Old Grandad has always gotten better the longer it stays open. I now open mine and don't touch it for a few months. On the Early Times, I get a leathery nose in addition to the toffee and oak. It is simply the best $20 bottle you'll find for a BnB.
Thanks for sharing on the ogd bib! Thought I was going nuts for a while there.
Enjoy your reviews. Lucky to get 3 bottles from Indiana last month. Enjoying some now... Hard to find in Ohio. Can't wait to watch your next video. Always have WT 101, Old GD BB and 4 Roses Single Barrel on my shelf...
Thank you for the kind words! Enjoy the journey my friend!
For what it's worth, Sazerac said it is committed to using the original BF mash bill and blending the barrels in the batch to match the original flavor profile.
Thank you for the information!
Great video. You sold me on my next purchase
I had a 2 ounce pour of the Sazerac. Its decent for the pour. Replaced the 2oz with 2-3oz Woodford Double Oaked. Similar flavor but the finsish continues a lot longer. Have made any videos about making your own blends?
New to your channel, and am glad I found you all. Great show and great content!
Appreciate you joining us!
Because of your previous reviews I went out and bought the Early Times Blue Cap - could not find the Black Cap, or I would have tried them both to let you know if I could tell the difference. I agree this is the best bargain bourbon and it will be my go to: good bourbon at a good price = good combination! Thanks!
Glad you love it!
This is one of the great things about whiskey because it is a crafted thing and their are so many organic factors whiskey is different from batch to batch. Bottle to bottle. The other thing is we change so our pallet changes. Allowing us to experience old things in a new way. More than drink more than a hobby whiskey is a experience. Make sure you share it with good company. cheers!
I love that! It’s an experience! Thanks for sharing!
I love hearing people know that there is a difference in bottles, they argue, they are smarter... then you come in and say, "I have fact, that its the same whiskey".
anyway, great show. I have a bottle with a blue cap on it, not open... and I don't care if its from Saz or Brown... Im excited to do my own neck pour BiB showdown.
I am with you! Make your choice and pour me either!
@@slbdrinks Hell yeah!!!!
Did a blind here at the house with those two and the BF came out on top, and by a margin. Much more banana and caramel than the steel cap saz. Strange hearing that they’re supposedly the same, because they were certainly different profiles for us. Also, both were fresh opens, so not a ton of air on them yet.
Picked up 2 more bottles in AZ this week. Man is it good. Have 2 unopened of sazarac on 2 brown Forman with 1 Forman open working on.
Good for you!
One of our local liquor store chains got a small supply of this in and I ordered a bottle of it online. I'm super interested in which one it will be, I'm sure it'll be the Sazarac one, but I've never had either one before so I'm sure I won't be biased or know any better.
Did a tour of Barton's 1792 last summer and the guide told us they bought all the barrels and it would be at least 4 years (since its Bottled in Bond) before any switch could take place to Barton's distilled product. So yeah, there is variance from year to year, but it's the same product other than who bottled it.
Appreciate the confirmation!
Its probably in my head but I dont think I truly get the flavor of a whiskey until its about 3/4 full. I usually open the bottle when I buy it and let it sit for a while before I drink it too. I just notice there is far less burn on most when I try one for the first time.
Good point!
Great video guys. I have FOMO because i can't find either one of these. Hope they make it Minnesota sometime or I travel to the right state. Cheers!
These are great, but don’t sleep on OGD Bonded! That’s fantastic too and an absolute steal imo
I’ve bought several bottles of early times for $23 or so. I was in one of my favorite liquor stores last week and they had early times listed for $50. It is getting harder to find so if we see it in the $25 dollar range again I will definitely grab it
No doubt!
i saw it in a local store by me for $16
Good morning Early Times is a great pour just had some the other night although I’ve only had the Sazerac
It is sooo good!!
My mind commences playing tricks after the second sip. Never could hold my liquor. Still, it's fun.
Yes it is lol!
Good comparison. I think some, not all, say B.F. simply because you can’t get it anymore. Both are delicious and a must have in my collection.
Very interesting about the real cutover date of sometime after 6/2024. It’s hard to find around here, but it seems to me that every time I do see one on the shelf, I oughta be buying. If we’re really still getting BF juice (which logic says is true), then this may be the last opportunity to get our hands on the good stuff.
Side note, I finally picked up my first (and 2nd) bottle a couple of weeks ago as I’ve never been able to find it. And it’s everything you say. Puts so many of my $50-80 bottles to shame.
Can easily go head to head with 50.00 bourbons!
Good to see your comparison. Though there’s no argument that it’s the same distillate at this point, I would not think the batches are blended by the same hands.
According to my sources distillate is still blended at BF but than again there is no way I can be 100% positive.
I never had a chance to blind them but I thought they tasted very close from memory. Just as good business practice you would try to blend the new bottles the same as the old, right?If I find a bottle of the BF ET I might grab it but for $20 a L I will keep grabbing the new bottle.
Awesome video cheers
Excellent review. I am really enjoying your content. Keep it up, and thank you😎
I had no idea there were two variations and I HAVE BOTH. My bottles look opposite of yours, plastic cap and cork almost gone and screw top unopened. I just started the video so I’m anxious to see how they compete
Oops the black cap doesn’t have a cork. I went to pour a sample to enjoy as well
Great review guys. Fyi you don't need to research or call anyone, you just need to look at the back of your bottle. You will see brown forman's distiller ID DSP-KY-354 on both bottles and then you will see KY-DSP-12 (barton Sazerac) underneath on the new ones. Cheers!
Correct. What was wild imo you can find the same KY-DSP-12 Barton on the 1897 Old Forester bib which is a Brown Forman release only.
@@slbdrinks That KY-DSP-12 on the OF 1897 is the second DSP number, meaning that it was BOTTLED (not made) at Barton. A contract arrangement between BF and Sazerac.
For a truly fair test all should have been in Glencairn Glasses or the short glasses. The different glasses affect the nose, what you smell affects the flavor. Mark the bottom of the glasses with a dry erase marker or something else to differentiate the different spirits. Anyway, thanks for all your videos, we enjoy them very much.
Thank you!
You say smell then you say dry erase marker. I think a sticker or tape would suffice.
Makes sense that Sazerac would need to age their own distilliate for the requisite amount of time before seeing the market. Either way I just picked up a bottle and can say with conviction that Early Times is a fantastic Bourbon value. For me I prefer the pallate over Heaven Hill BiB 7yr while the nose is nicer on Heaven Hill. I prefer the flavor profile of Early Times over Old Forester 100 but I would prefer Old Forester for an old fashioned or whiskey and coke due to the cherry notes. Also tested agaisnt Old Grand Dad BiB and would pick Early Time over Old Gran Dad BiB everyday 'unless there is a change to OGD down the road. I'm sure others would disagree according to their own tastes. Cheers everyone :)
Finding many of the bourbon mentioned is hard since, living in Canada, the selection here is somewhat limited. However I must admit that hunting for them can be fun as you never know what you are going to find. Example, just the other day I walked into a local store and found Rare Breed.
That’s a great find in Canada from what I have heard.
@@slbdrinks yes, first time I have seen it.
Awesome video
Compare the DSP codes on the two bottles. I believe the Sazerac bottle has both Brown-Forman and Sazerac codes, which would verify what you said.
The Sazerac bottle has Barton and Early Times DSP codes. The B-F bottle has the B-F and Early Times DSP codes.
That’s actually a good point about how long the bottles been open because I didn’t fall in love with new riff single barrel until I had it open for a bit…
KURT---TRENT!!!! This was a great video!!! Now I HAVE to get a bottle of this!!!! Great side by side!!! CHEERS!!!!
I think you will love it!
I can get the 80 proof (Sazerac) ET here in NC. (Haven't tried it yet.) But no ET BiB available here.
Sorry bout that.
SLB you are completely correct have a buddy that works at Barton’s and he just recently sent me pictures of the labels.
Appreciate the info!
Just picked up a bottle today. Finally.. hard to find for a budget bourbon. Was worth the hunt!
Glad you like it!
Each video that you do I enjoy more and more. Thank you for the education.
If u can choose from Early Times, OGD and Benchmark BiB offerings why would anyone spend more money or time trying other things? Jussayin. Thanks SLB for helping me zero in on BiB as my bourbon style of choice :)
I haven't been able to find a lot of detailed information online about the Early Times sale: What exactly was sold, what was transferred, etc. Sazerac got the mashbill for certain (but did they get the same grain suppliers? Might be different varietals of grain!). Did they get the yeast? Is it the same barrel/wood supplier? And even if every one of those details is identical, there's still the issue that different rickhouses seem to have different characteristics, and where the barrels live in the rickhouse changes things. I absolutely do expect a difference when the changeover to Sazerac-barreled Early Times happens, and it's hard to imagine that the quality goes up when Early Times is already such a great bang-for-the-buck product right now.
Agreed on all points. I, like you, only found skeleton info concerning the sale. At this point both releases are fabulous imo! We will see what happens when this is strictly a Saz release.
I'm fairly new to bourbon to start with. I was lucky enough to find both as Michigan is hard to find a lot of most anything. My tasting I thought they were both very similar and afterwards I found out Sazerac E.Times was still from Brown Foreman.
Intriguing video and information. I read through the comments and there are a lot of factors that can and will contribute to much curiosity and speculation. You and everyone that spoke to it is exactly right on one thing, there is no way Saz has had the time since 2020 acquisition to come out with their own distillate to begin their ET journey. Interesting that they did a bottle and cap change so quickly, but that probably has more to do with the glass shortage and post Covid debacle with supply chain than branding. What has me curious, is by them buying the ET line, are there plans to match the mash bill that makes ET what it is. And I agree that if the Saz people have begun to blend what they obtained from BF, there could be some differences. Will also be curious to see what the barrels from wherever Saz sources does to even the same mash bill since BF owns their own Cooperage. Warehouse differences coming...all things that should truly change ET when the transition happens. All that being said, I like the sentiment that if you like the current juice, its time to load up. Great video as always gents!
In 4 yrs will be the real test!
agree with this. they are at best, blending things between BF stock and new Sazerac stock. Good chance they may be fully working off existing BF stock still!
Great episode. Aside from the Brown Foreman vs. Sazerac debate, I want to say it's really good to see Trenton in front of the camera. I think the episodes go much better when there's someone to bounce comments off of and it's nice to see someone as opposed to listen to a disembodied voice. Having two people on camera probably doesn't work for every episode format you have, but I think Trenton should be on camera more often if possible.
Won’t work for them all but hoping he will be in front of the camera for every blind tasting.
Found a bottle of Early Times BiB today for $16.99. It’s on my shelf now. I’m excited to try it.
Nice buy!
Wow. Hope you got more than one. It's $23 locally for me.
Can’t wait to get my hands on a bottle 🤙🤙
Exactly!
Great Info! I just picked up a Sazerac ET BIB down in TN and want to know....if it has changed. I still think it is a great pour as I am watching you two!
My steady range of bourbons are, 1- WT 101. 2- OF 100. 3- OGD 114. Formerly I liked the Brown Forman ET quite well, very good quality and what a bargain.
For rye it's OF 100 and Bulleit, both excellent for sippers and cocktails.
Speaking for myself the new ET is suitable only for mixing, but even then I think if I don't like to have it neat, why screw up a cocktail. The palate sensation is not very pleasant, and the nose is inferior even compared with Evan Williams BIB. There are some thoughts about the length of aging differences in the new vs old ET, so far I doubt that the new will ever mature to be what the old is.
Sazerac gets a bronx cheer from me, poor form to take something really good, putz it up, then peddle it.
Plastic top is sweeter and smoother to me but both so good! The store I go to is limit one per person now so I buy one every other day when in stock 😂
Good idea!
One of the beautiful things about Bond is how each bottle you have will have slightly different taste notes than the next. You could do a blind test between two Brown's and find one better than the other.
Glad I just got a bottle either way!
The best opinion of all!
I still have a Brown Forman Early Times bottle - I think I will bunker it for a couple of years to compare it to the Sazerac ET juice. (If I remember or still care)
Right??!
Love ET BIB
Had them both and really didn't find a discernable difference other than, as you pointed out, perhaps slight batch differences. And Brown Foreman absolutely had inventory when the brand transferred so where do you think that would go.
Sounds like you got to the bottom of this as best as possible.
Bottom line, as Trenton said, one of the BEST bargains in the current bourbon world!
Now shut up and don't mention that to anyone!!
Exactly!!
Great job everybody 👏
Thanks!!
Same juice, different batching/blending. Minor differences, but nothing I find remotely offensive. Great video!
Hey y'all! Loved seeing the comparison. I'm thinking there may be something that no one has mentioned yet... How about what's the source of the water they use to proof it down to 100? BF definitely uses water from the Ohio river, and if they are bottling at Barton now, are they using a different water source? Or is the bourbon in the BF tanker trucks already proofed down when it arrives at Barton? Just some thoughts. Oh, and for the record, so far, I think the BF is MUCH better than the Saz - but that is just MY opinion! 🥃 Cheers!
100 ways to Sunday to think about this subject that’s for sure.
I live in Cincinnati so have access to a lot of bourbon, but Early Times is still great stuff. It is my go too.
Great bourbon!
I am watching old episodes I missed. I love Early Times BIB. I have 6 bottles of the ET BIB with the black screw caps and 2 bottles with the blue screw caps. There is a slight difference, and I prefer the black cap ones, even though the blue caps are good. There is a liquor store in KY that still has cases of the black caps. Every time I visit KY for work, I stop by and pick more up. I just bought 3 more in April 2023. Owner was saying he thought the new blue cap bottles are allocated by Sazerac now. Hoping to get some more black caps to bunker for retirement. 🥃
Great luck on your part for the black caps!
Thx for the comparison; do y’all think that Coopers Craft 100 is Brown Forman’s new Early Times?
Yes I would say that’s an accurate statement!
So how do you tell the difference as the bottles say bottled by the Early Times distillery?