An Ode to J.W. Dant Bottled-In-Bond
J.W. Dant is the large plastic bottle you’ve ignored for years. It sits on the bottom shelf of liquor stores across the country. At $29 for a 1.75L it has to be trash, right? This is one of my favorite bottles to include in a blind tasting. Everyone is shocked when they taste and find out its a bottom shelf(er).
Taking it way back, J.W. Dant (the man) was a distiller in the 1830’s. He was known for using a log still when he didn’t have the money for a copper still. Dant would grow his own grain. (He was ahead of his time on this estate-grown bourbon, apparently) He also built his own cooperage. In 1870, the Dants built a modern distillery. J.W. and his sons run the distillery until they’re shut down by prohibition. During prohibition, Dant used the A Ph Stitzel warehouses to store their whiskey. Stitzel even purchased some of the barrels to use in their “medicinal” products. We’re going to fast forward the story to 1987. Although, you can read more of the history here.
In 1987, United Distillers acquires Schenley. United Distillers sells the J.W. Dant brand to Heaven Hill in 1993. I’m sure you’ve enjoyed the history lesson but there is a point here. J.W. Dant bottles will vary greatly by their DSP.
- DSP-IND-2; Schenley Distillery; Lawrenceburg, IN
- DSP-KY-1; Heaven Hill Distillery (Louisville/”New Bernheim”)
- DSP-KY-2; Heaven Hill Distillery (Old Bernheim)
- DSP-KY-16; Stitzel Weller Distillery
- DSP-KY-31; Heaven Hill Distillery (Bardstown)
- DSP-KY-113; Ancient Age (Buffalo Trace) Distillery
Deciphering the DSP codes on J.W. Dant is more art than science. You’ll see bottles distilled at Old Bernheim and then bottled at Stitzel-Weller. There are bottles distilled by the Ancient Age Distillery (Buffalo Trace) and bottled in Indiana at the Schenley Distillery. J.W. Dant also has a pre-fire DSP-KY-31 offering. I’ve even seen a California DSP popup. Today, the whiskey is distilled at New Bernheim (DSP-KY-1) and bottled in Bardstown (DSP-KY-31).
Current J.W. Dant Bottled-In-Bond is 4-years old and 100 proof. While Heaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond had a cult following Dant seems left behind. It is as great of a bargain. Yes, it’s two years younger than the old HHBIB. But, I think that helps highlight more brown sugar notes and less char and spice. I put this to a test in a recent blind tasting. I lined up J.W. Dant BIB, the new Heaven Bottled in Bond and E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bottled In Bond. The Dant and Heaven Hill were the clear winners. Dant was the slight favorite of the two. E.H. Taylor (which is a favorite of mine) tasted watered down in comparison.
I’ll wrap this post with a challenge. Grab a bottle of Dant. Line up a blind tasting. Come back here to report the results. Am I the only one that thinks this is the best value on the market today? All Wild Turkey 101 lovers can leave their hate-filled comments below.
38 comments
Ssssssh. Nothing to see here, move along. Just some cheap booze. Move on now.
I’m fairly new to the bourbon tasting business. So far I have considered Buffalo Trace my main staple. But JW Dant is definitely the smoothest 100 proof whiskey I’ve had. More importantly, great taste as well! I am a fan, and will be buying more!
My name is bikerbill and l have not try J.W.Dant bourbon yet, but I am going to the liquor store to buy me a bottle of J.W.Dant bourbon and l am going to line it with my Hancock,Blade and Bow and E.H. Taylor’s for a blind taste. I will get back to you after the taste test.
Please let us know the results
Your missing the distillery in Gethsemane Kentucky DSP KY 47.
Joe P. … you are correct! DSP #47 was given to the Dant Distillery located at Gethsemane, KY (New Haven/New Hope area) and was just re-acquired by my second cousin Wally Dant and his new Log Still Distillery at Dant Crossing. As a great great grandson of J.W. Dant and a family historian, thanks for pointing this out… do you have any connections to our Dant family tree? … Tim Dant. timothydant@gmail.com
The secret to Bourbon is Bottled in Bond.
I have yet to find a bad Bonded Bourbon.
I enjoyed the article, it brought back memories of my father who drank Dant for most of his life. I had thought about it from reading your reviews. Now I’m motivated to go buy a bottle.
This is quotable. Thank you. Great bourbon for sure.
Blake your post is really timely. Last fall I found a 200ml Bonded Dant with a state of GA tax stamp still attached and a bottle stamp from ’89. Combo of DSP-KY-2 distilled and DSP-KY-16 bottled. Opening and sharing it tonight for my birthday. Hoping it will drink as well as I anticipate…cheers!
That’s awesome! I had a similar bottle and it was fantastic. You’re in for a real treat. Happy Birthday!
I would love too but not available within 200 miles of my market in south Florida. One of the hardest things to find is good affordable bourbon among all the fancy priced bottles. Jim beam prohibition and ezra are my favorites under $20
Anyone know where i could find distribution info for this?
I would love to hear a comparison to Evan Williams BiB..it is an even comparison price wise and is my favorite bottom shelfer.
I am a descendent of j.w dant on my mother’s side growing up we always had a bottle on the shelf then when I was old enough to drink i always have a bottle readily at hand. I have had many friends try it and they all love it and can’t believe its a bottom shelf brand.
J W Dant is great bourbon especially for the price. I usually cannot find near Chicago. Whenever I visit Kentucky I pick up a few bottles for me and other Dant lovers.
I’ve tried it once and, I agree, it’s a great value. Unfortunately, it’s not available here in No. Calif. Perhaps Seelbach’s will carry it one day. Hint, hint…
I tried it years ago, and although not “wowed,” it was respectable juice. Your article has induced me to pick up a bottle, and compare it with my current “bottom-shelf” BIB — Evan Williams, White Label (also 4 yrs. old), which I can get at Total Wines for about $15, a steal IMO. I’m in NYC, so it’s impossible to find Heaven Hill BIB, and I’m not planning to come to KY anytime soon. LOL.
That’s right, go on home.
Anyone know where i could find distribution info for this?
I found a lone dusty (literally covered in dust but not a āpre-fire ādustieāā) glass liter bottle sitting on a shelf at a local store near me just over a year ago. I had never tried it but recognized the name and bottom as something of a āsecretā. One of those whispers you hear faintly from the seasoned whiskey-famous āinfluencersā, dare I say it. I picked it up and saw it was $19.99. I bought it then and there with no questions. The store owner was slightly confused at why I bought it because it had been sitting there for he-couldnāt-remember-how-long. I never cracked it open though because Iāve never seen it again at any store near me. And heās never gotten more back in stock. I just made a trip to Alabama, though and found it far more readily available which gave me the green light to open my bottle once I got home. Immediate brown sugar and peanuts. I love this bottle. Definitely a Keeper Of The Shelf.
Just picked up 1L in Gulf Shores, AL for $17.99. Knew nothing about it but the name, but the value seemed too good to pass upāas a mixer if nothing else. This article makes me excited to try it.
Interesting to see J.W. Dant in a new article. My father-in-law told me a few years ago about a bourbon he and his brother-in-law always enjoyed, but had not seen in stores for awhile. It was J.W. Dant. I was curious and did some research online as to if it was still available and if I could find him a bottle. I ended up emailing the distillery (not sure of the name now) and they sent me a list of where in NJ I might find it. I checked a local liquor store and the owner said he did carry it, but didn’t usually keep any in stock anymore as it did not sell, but could order it for me. I first ordered a bottle and my father-in-law was pleasantly surprised. I also enjoyed it very much and since then I have ordered it a case at a time for myself and my father-in-law (and others) to split.
Thanks for now clearing shelves of JW Dant. Dick. After hearing Bernie Lubbers on something, I went and bought all the HH BIB products I could find. Dant is my favorite. Maybe even over the HH 6yr BIB although I haven’t done them blind.
I had a number of JWD bottles in the early ’80s. Probably from the late ’70s. It was a good pour.
I don’t think I have seen it in 30 years. I’ll start scanning the bottom shelves.
So, when I was a young Navy LT(JG) on my first ship, USS TURNER JOY (DD-951) (BTW now a museum ship in Bremerton, WA), we were going into a shipyard overhaul and the ship had to emptied of ammunition, classified material and medical supplies. I was walking by the Executive Officer’s (XO – 2nd in command) stateroom one day and he called me in. There were 3 bottles of J.W. Dant bourbon on his desk. US Navy ships are “dry” but back in those days Sick Bay had “medicinal” alcohol to give to the crew after a cold and wet topside evolution (like underway refueling in heavy seas). That practice was ending then so as we were offloading our medical supplies we directed to destroy the “medicinal” alcohol. The XO told me to sign this form that was also on his desk. As I was starting to sign it I asked: “XO what am I signing for”? He said you are signing that you witnessed the destruction of this medicinal alcohol. As a young and naive lad, I said: “But XO, the bottles are right here and they are full”. He glared at me and said: “Damnit Bob, sign the g-dam form and I’ll pour you a drink at the next party at my house.” Suffice to say I signed the form and did, in fact, get a drink of J.W. Dant at the next Wardroom party. J.W. Dant has had a soft spot in my heart ever since. I’ll have to pick up a bottle for old times sake.
Blake,
I have a question concerning J. W. Dant. Earlier this year I did a genealogy project for a Dant descendant.
When Joseph Washington Dant died in 1902 his will directed that no whiskey manufactured after his death could carry his name, and that his name shall cease as a brand. I am just wondering how Manufacturers have gotten around this stipulation in his will and continue to use his name on their whiskey?
I am a JW Dant descendant and have always wondered why that stipulation in his will was not honored. The “manufacturers” in question were his own children! The brand wasn’t sold out of the family until the 1950s, I believe.
I am tickled pink to see someone finally give JWDant the praise it deserves. This is one of
my favorite bourbons. I can only find it when I cross the ferry from Cape May NJ to Delaware
and find it at the liquor outlet.
JW Dant was my 3rd great grandfathers brother.
He left Maryland and settled in Kentucky. Iām happy to see his 3rd great grandson is opening a new distillery at the site of Gethsome.
When my bourbon snobs come for drinks I put the Dant in the ātop shelfā bottles and they never know the difference. šš
Agreed! My Dant travels in a ātop shelfā 750 traveler, and nobody is the wiser unless i confess.
Ms. Bixler… thank you for recognizing the J.W. Dant lineage and glad to have you a part of it. I am 5th-generation of J.W., a great-great-grandson, and Wally Dant, the founder of our new Log Still Distillery at Dant Crossing, is my second cousin and 6th-generation. Are you in the central-Kentucky area?… I grew up in Louisville, now living in Dallas, TX. All the best! TD timothydant@gmail.com
Iāve been drinking Dant bond forever, and Iām over 70. It was the ONLY thing my dad would drink. If someone gave him a bottle of something high dollar, heād trade it in on Dant. Iāve tried lots else over the years, and (IMNSHO) thereās no better value. I donāt care what the āexpertsā think, as my opinion is the only one that counts when Iām buying.
I had the pleasure of drinking J.W.Dant back in the early to mid 1980s. I’ve heard various reports on it’s quality not quite being what it used to be. I can’t attest to this since I haven’t seen a bottle in many years. I do have fond memories though. One of the finest bourbons, at ANY price-point!
jw bib one of my favs. all the bib are good to me, i keep jw on the shelf all the time along with ogd bib, evan williams bib. jw is rebuilding https://www.facebook.com/Logstilldistillery
The J.W. Dant has been a favorite of mine for years! I lines up and beats much of the competition, even the much more expensive bottles that are out there. The flavor, smoothness just cannot be beat! I totally agree with you!
I am 77 and have been drinking JW since I was in my 30’s. I have tried many others but it is still my go to Bourbon. It seemed to have disappeared in the late 90’s and has surfaced again in a few places. There seemed to be a change in flavor in the late 90’s when Heaven Hill took over but it is still a great drink.
Kind of like the Old Granddad 100 proof. Another great bottom shelf find.