We keep rolling along with our Budget Bourbon list, highlighting the bottles that didn’t make the Top 5 list. Today’s is a bit of a shocker for me. JTS Brown Bottled in Bond is a known high value bottle in bourbon head world. This is, again, out of Heaven Hill distillery. I’m not sure how Heaven Hill is able to make so many high quality high value bottles. This is another one of theirs that doesn’t get a marketing budget or much mention at all from the distillery but that doesn’t mean it’s not good. The J.T.S. Brown label dates back to 1855, and was first bottled by John Thompson Street Brown, who went on to found Old Forester in 1870 with his half brother George Garvin Brown. Like a few other old school bottles on the list, it can be hard to find outside Kentucky, but keep your eyes peeled. For under $15, it more than gets the job done.

Stats: NAS (min. 4 years); 100 proof; undisclosed mashbill (assumed 78% corn 10% rye 12% malted barley); $13

Verdict: Without blinding, I probably would have put this in the Top 4. But, that’s why blinding bourbon tastings are so much fun, it brings out true unbiased results. Overall I get some big brown sugar with touches of other sweet and fruit notes. Just because this doesn’t finish in the Top 5 doesn’t mean I won’t keep buying it. It’s great for the price (and even more 🤫) but I think it speaks to the overall quality and value of some of these other bottles. We’re inching closer to the Top 5…stay tuned!!