Just bought a handle of J.T.S. Brown Bonded

[Don't Shoot!]

I just bought a handle (1.75 liter bottle) of J.T.S. Brown 100-proof Bottled in Bond at my local liquor store in Tennessee. It's a dusty glass bottle, the seal is intact, and the whiskey is a good clear brown, but the label looks old as hell, and I think the bottom of the bottle has a "97" molded into it. I know whiskey doesn't change (much) in a sealed glass bottle, but I'm not sure if I want to open it just this minute. It was only $17.69, plus tax.

[MauiSon]

May as well pour it into a couple of 750 empties and report on the remainder.

[Don't Shoot!]

The problem there is that I don't have any empty fifths lying around. I only have more half-gallons!

[Don't Shoot!]

I'm sorry to report that after some eighteen years on the shelf, this bottle is utterly impotable. Paper towels with a slight rubbery note. I'm glad I didn't lose much in this gamble. At least at 100 proof, it can still be used as a topical antiseptic. I will certainly give J.T.S. a second try if I ever spot a newer bottle.

[Richnimrod]

JTSB BIB isn't a "stellar" pour for very many folx; but it isn't chopped liver either. I find it pretty good, especially for the cheese it sells at.

Do pick up another bottle. In fact, if you haven't yet; pick up any BIB you haven't tried. It's great fun to taste the variety and the similarity you can identify from brand to brand.

... And generally, none are 'bad' whiskey (although a couple I've tried won't be bought again by me), and nearly all all are pretty good buys.

[PaulO]

I'm a JTS Brown fan. It sounds like the 1.75L in question was not stored properly, had a bad seal or something.

[bad_scientist]

I'm sorry to report that after some eighteen years on the shelf' date=' this bottle is utterly impotable. Paper towels with a slight rubbery note. I'm glad I didn't lose much in this gamble. At least at 100 proof, it can still be used as a topical antiseptic. I will certainly give J.T.S. a second try if I ever spot a newer bottle.[/quote']

Well, for what little it's worth, your bottle likely had pre-fire Heaven Hill distillate in it. I know the old EC12s are lauded, and I like pre-fire EW 7 year, but the absolute worst whiskey I've ever had was a pre-fire gold label Heaven Hill. Maybe the quality of their lower end stuff improved in subsequent years.

[Young Blacksmith]

Paper towels and rubber are what I've found in the old dusty JTS Browns I've tasted too. I won't be purchasing any more.

[Josh]

I'm a Heaven Hill fanboy but I think the gold label stuff is terrible too.

At best JTS Brown is a well quality mixer, IMO, even the pre-fire ones. I know plenty of people who love it though.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Josh

[Lepisto]

I just picked up a newer bottle of JTS Brown BIB, and have had a couple of pours. I'm still fairly early in my bourbon journey, and have spent most of my time on the bottom shelf and a few mid shelfers. That being said, I haven't found any that I've found terrible. I see them as part of my education, and try to pick out the differences and similarities in them. I don't mind the modern day JTS Brown. Not my favorite, but not bad. It reminded me a lot of Mellow Corn BIB, but without all that corn flavor. Definitely tasted young or raw. I'm intrigued by the HH Gold BIB based on what I've read on this post and others. Might have to go find a bottle. I've heard it is being discontinued.

[mosugoji64]

I had a bottle of pre-fire HH Dant BIB that was so heavy on the old HH eucalyptus flavor that it tasted fishy. I was eventually able to mix it away and learned that is one dusty I don't miss.

[suntour]

Let it open up, I actually really like JTS Brown once its had a few weeks of air, but it is a little on the new-make side for HH BIBs. I think my general ranking is: EWBIB > JW Dant > OHBIB > JTS Brown, but honestly, I've side-by-sided them and they're more similar than they are different. Who are we kidding, its all the same HH juice at probably the exact same age. Just depends on which label you like looking at more at the moment.

I think JTS Brown is the cheapest here in Oregon, so if I'm going budget HH BIB, that's what I'm grabbing. Really wish we had the 6 year though.

[ken_mays]

I'm intrigued by the HH Gold BIB based on what I've read on this post and others. Might have to go find a bottle. I've heard it is being discontinued.

That would be no great loss to the world, IMHO. Young and raw with a distinct peanut flavored finish. And I'm also a HH fan.

[Josh]

Might have to go find a bottle. I've heard it is being discontinued.

[Lepisto]

Lemme guess, a rep told you this?

I think I read it on one of the recent threads on SB that discussed the merits and rumors of HH6BIB going away. I think the consensus was that the HHBIB weren't going anywhere, but that Gold was going away.

[Lepisto]

That would be no great loss to the world, IMHO. Young and raw with a distinct peanut flavored finish. And I'm also a HH fan.

After reading all of the praise for HH6BIB I got a bottle, and I thought I detected a peanut flavor. I just chalked it up to an inexperienced palate. I don't notice it as much anymore, but I'm glad to know that the flavor could exist in the HH6BIB, since they are from the same family.

[Josh]

I think I read it on one of the recent threads on SB that discussed the merits and rumors of HH6BIB going away. I think the consensus was that the HHBIB weren't going anywhere, but that Gold was going away.

Oh, you meant that the Gold label is going away, not the JTS Brown. Nevermind my snark!

[shoshani]

I happen to be fairly fond of JTS Brown BIB for what it is: a budget bonded pour. It's definitely outclassed by its stablemate Henry McKenna BIB, for example, which costs slightly less than twice as much per bottle. But sometimes it's what I want, and that's the great thing about bourbon. Even from one distiller, there's plenty of variety in taste profiles.

[black mamba]

After several bottles each of HH Gold Bib and JTS Brown Bib, I've decided I can't tell the difference, consistently, and I have a pretty decent palate. The HH 6 yr olds are a whole different ballgame, though . . . vastly better.