Early Times is one of the oldest whisky brands in the United States, with roots stretching back to 1860 when John Henry "Jack" Beam — uncle of the legendary Jim Beam — first introduced the brand in Nelson County, Kentucky. The distillery was built to capture the spirit of an earlier, simpler era in American whiskey-making, and its name reflects exactly that pioneering ambition. For nearly a century, Early Times was synonymous with Brown-Forman, having been the company's very first brand acquisition in 1923. Production eventually moved from its original Nelson County location to Louisville (Shively), where it remained for decades. In 2020, Brown-Forman sold Early Times to Sazerac, marking a new chapter for the brand. Sazerac subsequently returned distillation to Bardstown, Kentucky — close to its historic origins — after a hiatus of over 100 years. Early Times holds a storied place in American whiskey history as one of the country's longest-running brands. Its journey from a small Kentucky distillery to a nationally recognized name, through Prohibition, corporate ownership changes, and a modern revival, speaks to the enduring appeal of this classic American spirit.