Originally Posted by number_6

Sometimes the bourbon is different in the US and export market! I learned this the hard way. Early Times sold in Japan and Australia is excellent, a true bourbon and aged in 100% new charred barrels. But the US product is completely different, with a far worse taste. After much puzzling about this, I finally discovered that for the US market it is sold as a "Kentucky whisky" because it doesn't meet the legal definition of Bourbon (while the export product does!), and it is 20% aged in used charred barrels. Hence the completely different taste (and loss of character and nuance). A shame that brands are manipulated this way! I'm sure other bourbon suffers a similar fate, so be aware that the taste can vary by country, even when made in Kentucky.