J.W. Dant Bourbon Bottled in Bond

BACKGROUND: Joseph Washington Dant began his career working as a blacksmith, but by the mid-1830s, he was a distiller who invented the process to make bourbon with hollowed out tree trunks. Let me state that once again so you can fully comprehend the concept - J.W. Dant figured out how to make bourbon from trees. How is this sumbitch not celebrated with great inventors like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and the Wright Brothers?!?!?! Dant’s distilling method, which was used by farmers and pioneers who could not afford a copper still, required a log to be split lengthwise, hollowed out, and then bound tightly back together. The log was then stood vertically and filled from the top with fermented mash. A lid with a coil, similar in shape to a Hershey’s Kiss, would be placed atop the log, but, sometimes, only a thick blanket was used to cover the top. Small pipes that had been driven through the log would then have steam fed through them, which would begin the distillation process with the tree trunk replacing the boiler, or pot. Known at the time as the only log distiller whose product was worthy of purchase, Dant grew and used his own grains, and, by 1860, his bourbon operation encompassed almost 200 acres. He retired in the 1880s and passed away in 1902 at age 82. Dant left behind two sons who became distillers, one of whom invented the Yellowstone brand, and production of J.W. Dant bourbon continued until Prohibition forced it to cease. Following passage of the 21st Amendment, the rights to the J.W. Dant trademark passed through several distilleries before being finally acquired in 1993 by Heaven Hill, which holds them today. The modern version of J.W. Dant is produced using Heaven Hill’s standard mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, and a #3 char is placed on the barrel staves for aging. Long considered a bottom shelf bourbon, it costs only $15.99 for a one liter bottle, and the brand does not even have its own website, nor is there any mention made of it on the Heaven Hill Distillery’s brand listing page. NOSE: The nose offers a mix of banana scent, which is more commonly associated with Brown Forman products, the corn dust aroma that you often get when opening a new bag of wild bird seed, and caramel. A strong smell of barrel - not a general oak note like most bourbons but deeply burned barrel char - is present, and a bit of ethanol sting invades the nose even with an open mouth. PALATE: The palate begins with a strong burst of nicely sweet caramel, and it is quickly followed by distinct corn notes along with a delightful flavor that tastes exactly like I.B.C. root beer from a bottle. For a bottom shelf bourbon, it offers a mid-to-upper shelf palate. FINISH: Initial oak on the finish is soon overcome by a growing burst of intense and spicy rye mint. Some reviewers complain that the finish is drying, but mine had none of that effect. It is a long finish, but also just a tad bit hot. Dant’s rich, syrupy mouth feel that coats the jaw is something you would more often expect to find on a higher-end bourbon. FINAL ASSESSMENT: Just so all of my cards are on the table, I am a fan of Heaven Hill products, and I simply love bottled in bond bourbons. In fact, I do not think I have ever sampled a truly bad bottled in bond offering from any producer. J.W. Dant Bottled In Bond will not knock your socks off, but it is a dependable workhorse that will not let you down. Each sip was progressively better than the one that preceded it, and I could easily drink this every day and be wholly satisfied. It ain’t complex, but, darn, it is good. Early Times Bottled In Bond deservedly gets much love among aficionados as a surprisingly inexpensive yet high-quality bourbon, but I rank J.W. Dant alongside it as one of the best values on any shelf from top to bottom.

For those like myself who are struggling during this pandemic called Covid 19, I'm in the midst of finding all the BIB's I can get my hands on. Why? Well, this used to be the gold standard as you could get a true proof with enough years to garner actual flavor. So today, I've taken the time to save my wallet amd to add a nicely needed buzz to my week. Thanks 100 proof... Nose... A vanilla ice cream packed sundae. It's a cliche if you've read my others, but its true. Add in a few green apple slices, some peanut butter, buttery more than peanuty, and you've got a warm dessert in liquid form. Depending on how open you get this bourbon, you might even find darker fruits like raisins and prunes. Color.... Slightly under mahogany, which is in my realm of trust. Taste.... Butter, butter, corn, salted roasted movie theatre popcorn. Soon enough, slight pepper and dry leather, and most importantly, the actual cask. That's a gift... Overall.... Either I'm sucummbimg to lower prices or I, like numerous others, have been dealt with a full on branch out circumstance. My cash flow is low, but BiB will be my saving grace. If I manage, then the BIB category will become my saving grace....

I’ve been on a Heaven Hill bottom shelf expedition lately. This is another one that is not sold in Tennessee, where I live. So I had to cross the border into Kentucky to pick this up. After about 10mins rest in the glass... The nose has the classic heaven hill sweet corn with a slight nuttiness (peanut), followed by some nice dried fruit, vanilla frosting and gingerbread. There is also some rye spice, though some of that comes across in the gingerbread. The palate is sweet and medium bodied and slightly oily with sweet corn, an early kick of baking spices, vanilla frosting and gingerbread, as well as a light nutty note. The finish is long, with a slight burn right as you swallow. Baking spices show up initially and then fade into lingering sweet corn and vanilla. Finishes out with a tingling on the edges of the tongue with some barrel char/nuttiness at the tail end. Another pleasant surprise from this bottom shelfer from Heaven Hill. I only wish it was sold everywhere. I still think J.T.S. Brown is my favorite of these. But this one is right up there, and for the price, way better than some bourbons 3x the cost.

I love the appearance of this bottle - no frills whatsoever. The BiB statement and 100 proof for around $15/liter... how bad could it be? The short answer is not that bad, but there are better options. This pours a light golden with quick legs. The nose is just funky and a bit astringent. There is imitation vanilla, play dough, walnuts. The oak component is what I think lends an almost acetone-like scent. The palate is fairly thin and lands with mild heat, creme brûlée, dusty attic tones and a black walnut bitterness rather than clean oak. The finish is medium and the funky black walnut bitterness hangs in the sinuses. There are pleasant parts but the finish (Daniel Kannaman's peak-end effect) sort of sinks this one. Fun to try, not one I'll purchase a bottle of.

I’ll begin by saying this bourbon is in the same category as Mellow Corn: cheap, consistent, tasty, and a wonderful Heaven Hill BIB product. It’s a perfect beach sipper (currently enjoying neat on Amelia Island). Don’t let the price keep you from picking this one up. Nose: sweet, burnt sugar, marshmallow, and a bit of candied nuts. The wood is present but not overwhelmingly so. Palate: sweet, a little nutty, still carries that marshmallow from the nose. Finish: for 100 proof, this puppy is smooth. Slight tingling lingers on the tongue (mid to back) to remind you of the BIB you are enjoying. No burn just a slight Kentucky “side” hug. I’d give this BIB an 80/100.

Tasting notes feel pretentious and unnecessary in this context, and I worry that the producer will realize the good thing they have going and jack the price. Nevertheless--J.W. Dant is the best whiskey you can buy in America for under $20. Full stop. Is it perfect? No. But it sips well neat with some time to breathe, holds up super well to ice on a hot day, and makes for a fabulous spirit forward cocktail. Tastes of . . . what bourbon should taste of. The nearest store to me that stocks it is 1.5 hours away and I grab 2-3 bottles any time I pass through, just to keep as my "well" whiskey.