There's something about holding a bottle from the 1970s that changes the way you approach a pour. This Early Times 4 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon isn't just a whiskey — it's a time capsule from an era when American bourbon was fighting for respect on the world stage, and distilleries were still doing things a certain way because that's how they'd always been done. At £350, you're paying for history as much as liquid, and honestly? I think it's worth it.
What to Expect
Early Times has always occupied an interesting space in the bourbon world. By the 1970s, this was a brand with serious heritage behind it, producing Kentucky Straight Bourbon at a time when the category was less about hype and more about honest, everyday drinking whiskey. This bottling sits at 40% ABV with a four-year age statement — standard proof, standard maturation on paper. But context matters enormously here.
Four years in a barrel in the 1970s isn't the same as four years today. Warehouse conditions, cooperage practices, and grain sourcing were all different. The bourbon industry was in a transitional period, and bottles from this era often carry a character that simply doesn't exist in modern production. You're looking at a bourbon that was made to be straightforward and drinkable, but five decades of careful storage have added a dimension that the original distillers never planned for.
At 40% ABV, this was bottled at the legal minimum for bourbon, which tells you it was intended as an approachable, session-friendly spirit. Don't expect fireworks — expect something composed, gentle, and probably carrying some of that old-school dusty bourbon character that collectors lose their minds over. The low proof means this won't punch you in the face, but it also means every bit of flavour has to earn its place in the glass.
The Verdict
I'm giving this a 7.7 out of 10. That might seem modest for a bottle with a £350 price tag, but let me explain my thinking. As a drinking experience, this is a well-made, honest Kentucky Straight Bourbon — it was never trying to be a showstopper, and it doesn't pretend to be one now. What earns it that score is the combination of genuine quality and irreplaceable provenance. You cannot make this whiskey again. The grain, the yeast, the barrels, the climate of that specific decade — all of it is gone. Every sip is a one-way ticket to a version of bourbon-making that no longer exists, and that has real value.
The £350 price point is steep for a four-year-old bourbon in isolation, but this isn't a bottle you judge on age statement alone. This is a collectible that also happens to drink well, and if you're the kind of person who appreciates what dusty bourbon hunting is all about, you already understand why bottles like this command these prices.
Best Served
Pour this neat, room temperature, in a Glencairn or a small tulip glass. Give it a good ten minutes to open up before you start nosing — old bourbon at 40% can be shy at first but tends to bloom beautifully with air. If you're feeling adventurous, a tiny splash of water — and I mean tiny, we're talking a few drops — can help unlock some of the more delicate notes. But honestly, a bottle this old and this rare deserves to be experienced on its own terms. Save the cocktails for your everyday pours. This one is for sitting down, slowing down, and paying attention.
