Evan Williams Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Country: United States of America
Region: Kentucky - Louisville (Distillery): 38.2448, -85.7815, Bardstown (Maturation): 37.7948, -85.4661
Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Strength: 43.3% ABV (86.6° Proof)
Color: Natural Color
Filtration: Unknown (Most likely Chill-Filtered)
Maturation: 8 years in 100% New Charred Oak (2009 Vintage)
Price: $24.99 (Total Wine)
Overview
Welcome to American Whiskey y'all!American whiskey is a large, diverse family of whiskey that is strictly regulated in how it can be made and matured. In terms of sales volume, Mr. John Daniels, as Lt. Col. Frank Slade calls him, is the king of American whiskey. But in terms of enthusiast credibility, what you sampled in month two, bourbon whiskey, is the king of the American whiskey family.
By law, a bourbon's mash bill must contain at least 51% corn, be distilled to no higher than 80% alcohol (160° Proof), and be stored in a new charred oak container at no higher than 62.5% alcohol (125° Proof). To earn the 'straight' qualifier, a bourbon must meet the previously mentioned requirements as well as spend at least two years in that new charred oak container and not be blended with any other type of whiskey. If the straight bourbon has been aged less than four years, the age of the whiskey must be stated on the label. A bit of cocktail party trivia, it is believed that rye whiskey, not corn whiskey, was the first whiskey distilled in the United States.
The next time you are shopping in your favorite bottle shop, take a moment to gaze upon the huge variety of bourbon labels on the shelf. In most bottle shops you will notice that the quantity of unique bourbon labels is fairly comparable to the quantity of unique Scotch labels. There is one important distinction however - while Scotland currently has over one hundred distilleries of significant size, the United States of America only has eight bourbon distilleries of significant size. Incredibly, the vast majority of bourbon bottled under all those bourbon labels comes from just eight distilleries.
So who are these magical eight? Here is the rundown along with a sampling of their brands/labels:
- Brown-Forman - Old Forester, Woodford Reserve (oh and a little hooch called Jack Daniels but Jack is not a bourbon, it is a Tennessee Whiskey)
- Buffalo Trace - Buffalo Trace, Blanton's, E.H. Taylor, Weller, Pappy Van Winkle, Stagg
- Four Roses - Four Roses Yellow Label, Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses Single Barrel
- Heaven Hill - Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, Old Fitzgerald
- Jim Beam - Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Old Grand-dad
- Maker's Mark - Maker's Mark and Maker's 46
- Midwest Grain Products - MGP does not directly bottle their bourbon, instead they sell barrels to entities that then bottle and sell under their own labels
- Wild Turkey - Wild Turkey 101, Rare Breed, Russell's Reserve
The bourbon enjoyed in month two is a product of Heaven Hill Distillery which has the proud distinction of being the lone major bourbon distillery that is still owned by a single family - the Shapira family. Evan Williams Single Barrel debuted in the mid-1980s and was created by Heaven Hill's legendary master distiller Parker Beam. If the last name seems familiar, yes, Parker Beam is a relative of Jim Beam. Delving into Kentucky bourbon history, you will find the Beam family has a prolific and all-encompassing footprint in bourbon production starting with the first Beam in Kentucky - Johannes 'Jacob' Böhm who changed his surname to Beam when emigrating from Germany in the late 1700s.
Parker Beam created the Evan Williams Single Barrel label in the mid 1980s as a riff on the wine industry - each year's bottling would be a vintage denoted by the year the distillate was put in the barrel. Being a single barrel bourbon, there will be subtle variations in bottles that come from different barrels, even within the same vintage year. In the two phases of bourbon production, distillation is pure chemical engineering where identical results can be obtained through science and process; maturation on the other hand is pure art as no two barrels mature identically. This is where a quality distillery displays their skill in picking barrels that while not identical are *very* close to the taste profile they are looking for.
Costing half as much as Month One's single malt, it is a pleasure to find a quality bourbon that is readily available and affordable. Granted, coming in under 45% alcohol, this bourbon is not a proof-bomb nor is it an overly complex, nuanced bourbon. What this bourbon is though is a reliable, quintessential bourbon that is well aged and just at home in a cocktail as it is served neat. This is a bourbon you can keep on hand and not fret about pouring it for family, friends, or yourself on some idle Tuesday night.
One final note, when shopping for a bottle of this bourbon, what I personally recommend is to pay attention to the age on the back label. I have noticed that subsequent vintages have been younger and younger with the first bottles of the 2010 vintage coming in at 7 years. Personally, I would look for a 2009 vintage on the shelf that is 8+ years old and then keep an eye on subsequent 2010 vintage bottles later this year that could start to crack the 8 year old mark.
Tasting Notes
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| Heaven Hill's Evan Williams Single Barrel Tasting Notes |
Group Impressions
Well month two was very well received by the group. Bourbon notes were universally recognized but how fascinating that a few also detected Scotch impressions as well. Referencing the official tasting notes above, you will see everyone detected at least one 'official' note as well as several others. Sweetness, fruit, and vanilla ruled the day. The sweetness due to the corn, the vanilla from the charred barrel and the fruit almost certainly from the yeast used during fermentation.
One interesting tidbit - Heaven Hill's mash bill for their bourbon has very low rye, so I am a bit surprised to see 'spicy' in their official tasting notes. It typically takes a higher rye content in the mash bill to produce a spicier tasting bourbon. Correspondingly, not a single impression denoted a spicy taste or smell; this is why all tasting notes, regardless of source, should be taken as subjective rather than objective.
Thanks to all for a terrific month of impressions, month three is right around the corner!
Color
Medium Amber
Nose
Brown sugar, caramel, wood resin. Immediately recognizable as a bourbon. Low alcohol punch. Faint vanilla. Cherry and chocolate after some time in the glass. I am not sure if this is a sign of needing help, but smelling this makes my mouth water. As Bender says - let’s get drunk!
Taste
Very mild wood resin. Sweetness mid-taste. Near-zero tongue prickle. Brown sugar, pecan pie, honeyed sweetness, vanilla... this, this is how an honest bourbon should taste. No perceptible spice. Mild spearmint, cooling finish. Refined bourbon. Sinus filling ethanol evaporation.
Finish
Medium length. Very slight tannic bitterness.
Overall
This is a basic no-frills bourbon, but unlike most low-cost bourbons, this example has spent enough time in the barrel to smooth out the majority of its rough edges. It could be offered at a higher proof, but I am betting that would induce a disproportionate amount of punch/burn. In fact, Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig Small Batch is higher proof and about the same age yet is much feistier and has far stronger wood notes on the tongue than Evan Williams Single Barrel. This bourbon is just about perfect as it is from the bottle.
Colonel Buck Greene
Appearance - A classic bourbon brown. Not too dark. The legs were slow to develop after a swirl.
Smell
A sweet bourbon initial hit. The intensity of the alcohol to the smell was bold. It was hard to retain the smell for deep analysis as the alcohol was overpowering. There is something sweet to the smell that I could not place. The typical adjectives/flavors of vanilla and cinnamon didn't quite fit. It was something more along the lines of honey. Sweet, but not like sugar. A natural, mellow sweetness. I've probably smelled this sample at least 10 times, and my brain just doesn't have an entry for the type of sweet I am smelling. My final last smell was perhaps identifying a slight slight hint of licorice, or anise. Perhaps the only relation I have to that sweet smell is that of Metaxa Ouzo, for those Greek spirit lovers out there.
Taste
Not a strong tingle at all on first intake. The flavor was immediately strong. The licorice smell really seemed to come out in the taste. The flavor retained for a long while. The tickle from the alcohol hit only after several seconds from the full flavor. This was really nice, as I drank the sample neat, and could taste the flavors for a full amount of time before the prickle from the alcohol kicked in. On the second taste, I did perceive there to be more of a smokey finish. Not peaty, but mild smokey. Although my appearance and smell claimed bourbon, I am starting to second guess myself, and won't be surprised if this was actually a scotch. As for alcohol content, this seems lower than the previous. My guess is this is somewhere around an 80-90 proof.
Finish - The finish of this sample was lighter in intensity than the previous. It also faded much quicker and wasn't as residual, yet still warm.
General Thoughts
This sample was very contradictory. My appearance guess was a bourbon, as well as the smell. The taste countered my first estimation. I would have to say that I could drink this again. It did remind me of a Balvenie Caribbean Cask that a friend bought for me long ago. In summary - I'm on the fence about it being a bourbon or a scotch, however, I've only got 1 foot on the bourbon side and the rest of my body on the scotch side.
Michael Doheny
[Editor's note - Sinatra lyrics in italics!]
With this tasting, I'm gonna make a brand new start of it; but still holding to the format from the first sampling: 1st ounce served up neat, 2nd ounce minced with a splash of water, and the final two ounces over a pair of dice sized ice cubes.
Prior to the first pour the liquid looked an inviting strawberry gold color. Not quite artificial, but something unnatural winking from deep within it’s breast. Once I distilled the portion into my glass it had the legs of an MGM Starlett, long, curving, and stained by the sun. There was little initial aroma at all, almost as if it was a secret waiting to be unbuttoned.
The first sip was like the night of black snow against my tongue. Rough, unhinged fire burned across my mouth. Slashing at my cheeks and gums, it incinerated any delicate flavors and as the heat burnt into me, it was as if Rome had salted Carthage anew, there would never be anything to taste again. My palate was reduced to a barren, flavorless wasteland.
This did not deter my second sip. Although I sat back for a minute, reminiscing on the differences between our last sample. Who was this strawberry Mata Haril beckoning me to continue? If Sample 1 had been the leather loveseat combo you and the misses were eyeing at Levitz, then this was a curvy pleather couch in Woolworth’s masquerading as it's pricer cousin; not cheap, but definitely not top of the heap.
Second sip was a kinder invasion. There was a tender trap of vanilla or caramel muddled between the folds of the spirit. I chewed the liquid, hoping to unlock another clue, nothing but latent fire came forth to reward my efforts.
I fired the final sip into my mouth and forced the fluid to charge from one side to the next before an abrupt swallow. I opened my mouth and let the air ruddy the flavors and heat until I tasted not milk or cream, but some distant relation, hanging on to my taste buds.
Overall this was a fight with the angry alcohol burn and the secret flavors that it kept.
The second sample was laced with a teaspoon of spring water and as I allowed the measure to diffuse into the drink I was struck by the scent of deep, angry, woods. Dry and dark, but alive with hints of evacuating aromas. It was like I’d given the flower water to drink.
Her legs were a golden wave now, roaring across the glass with only an occasional stray streak. A ruddiness to her color from the contaminant was noticeable, but not off putting. It seemed if spring had sprung in the glass as the water kissed cocktail awoke.
A sip revealed a vitality to the spirit. Despite sharing the glass, it would not be reduced or cowed, the heat roiled in my mouth and as i exhaled and awoke to cascading flavors. Something soft, not butter, but smooth and pastoral like before.
Another sip and it was a rich burn with and pine and sap, maybe a molasses. As I exhaled I imagined dried heather, heaped on a fire with straw, thatch, and kindling.
Her final sip was a warm bath sloshing about my mouth, the cream and field sensations, more muted and fading until none remained.
Second tasting was still formidable, seemed younger and more open.
It would be the ice that would be this spirit’s undoing.
The relatively small, cloudless, cubes rested at the bottom of the glass, awaiting the final 2oz. I poured the offering evenly across the ice, a wicked crack echoed from vessel as the differential expansion ruptured the outer ice core.
I swirled the drink cautiously, looking to see what magic i’d see. The legs were a gross version of their previous life, weak and runny against the glass. Her color had softened and was getting lost amongst the ice.
Dispensing with the frivolity, I took a strong sip, and the ice had melted away any remaining pretence. It was Woolworth’s exposed. There was tang of copper here, beneath the stamped out heat. There was an hint at flowers or fields, but the deluge of ice was wiping them into oblivion.
As I took another drink it was clear the day was lost. Completely unhinged now, the flavors were a mess in my mouth, not fire, not ash, but something in between. Maybe it was the taste of a charcoal briquette; available in isle 9 at your local Woolworth’s.
Ice was a wolf pack to this spirit, torpedoing it, and leaving it to consumed by the rising tide.
Apollo
Smell:
The smell was nice. There wasn't much of an alcohol smell. It was sort of a sweet, slightly fruity smell
Appearance:
It had a fairly dark, amber color with very thick legs that stuck to the glass for a long long time.
Taste:
This whiskey was very smooth. It tasted familiar but I couldn't quite place it. It was hard to identify individual flavors. I thought I detected a hint of oak, or some sort of wood. The flavors did blend together very nicely however, and the overall effect was quite enjoyable. It seemed to be a more mature, probably more expensive whiskey than the previous one. I thought it was probably right around 80 proof. If I had to guess I’d say it’s a bourbon but I’m not sure.
Finish:
It had a slight tongue tingle that disappeared quickly but the flavor lasted quite a while.
Summary:
I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It was really smooth with a nice flavor. Even though I couldn't pick out too many individual flavors, the combination was very interesting. I could see this one being in my regular rotation.
Waldo Norris
A medium amber, with long legs. The sugar level in this is pretty high, both detected on the nose and the tongue.
The aroma on this glass immediately shines with Caramel and Vanilla, and a soft oak flavor, with crisp fruit. The caramel and vanilla, being the forefront players, give a pleasing nose, that I am finding to be hard to stop smelling.
While tasting, I found it to be Rich in flavor, but really soft on tongue. The flavor was mostly observed on the front of the tongue, but as it moved down to the sides, I could taste the sour. There was a mild warmth as it moved to the back of the mouth to the throat. The flavor lingered for quite awhile, which was crisp and clean, but still had a subtle bite.
On my second glass, I added a few drops of water, and noticed that the vanilla and caramel became even more prominent. I would say however, that I was just as pleased both before and after adding the drops of water. I was however hoping for a little more complexity with the water being added. That said, should I not be able to find water in the future with this bottle, I will be just fine.
Overall, this is a great smelling, and good tasting bourbon. It was a little light when it came to anything that really stood out as special. But it was very drinkable. While I don’t have it often, this would pair well with a mixed drink or even a cola.
Any chance we have a Jim Beam White here?
Keoki
Well, I always thought of myself as a scotch guy. Bourbon was generally the cheap stuff we bought in college to mix with some soda. However, after trying this bourbon, it may open up a new world for me.
Appearance
Medium to dark bronze in the glass. Didn't notice any major legs in glass, about the same as last test.
Smell
Like I said, once I smelled this I knew it was bourbon. It reminds me of molasses cookies being baked. The alcohol doesn't overwhelm the smell at all. In fact, as pungent as the bourbon is, I barely noticed it.
Taste
It's hard to be unbiased in any situation. Going into the taste, I had preconceived ideas of what I thought this would taste like. I'm not a huge lover of bourbon because it seems too sweet to me (certainly compared to scotch). However, I tried to go in with an open mind. I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed this bourbon. The thing I was dreading (the sweetness) was not overpowering. This was not sickeningly sweet, it had a good balance of flavor. As with many bourbons, it reminds me of brown sugar.
Finish
One thing I appreciate about this bourbon was that it did not linger for a long period. It tasted great, and the alcohol was not overwhelming. I was able to sip this in a relatively short amount of time.
General thoughts
I tasted this bourbon neat. One of the things that is nice about these taste tests is that it opens up new possibilities. I'm not sure if I'll ever be a bourbon guy, since I still love scotch so much. However, my aversion to bourbon has been lifted with this tasting.
Zeus
Appearance: Noticeable legs, light amber color. Ok, I said that last time about the color and I fear I might be repeating this line as most whiskeys look light amber to me. I think my perception of whiskey color ranges are a bit lacking. Is there some whiskey paint chip card things I can get to help amateurs like me identify the color range?
[Editor's note - two color guides, one on Breaking Bourbon's tasting template and another with more flowery language from Whiskey Magazine]
Smell: Sweet, slight woody and/or flowery scent. Not harsh at all. Very compelling smell. First thought on the type is a bourbon.
Taste: Minor burn, very mellow taste. I had trouble pulling out specific flavors out of this one. Maybe a very vague vanilla taste in the background. Tasted very well balanced.
Finish: The taste dissipates pretty quick after swallowing. I get a nice aftertaste that fades after a second or two then I am left with a minor burn that is gone in 10 seconds or so.
General Thoughts: This is not a high proof whiskey, not nearly as much burn as the last sampling. I suspect a bourbon, but its not as sweet as some bourbons I have had. So I think it could be a mild scotch, but less probable then a bourbon. Its not exploding in flavor, but most of the time I want something smooth and mild like this. It is almost too smooth. If I really wanted to drink this pretty fast there is no major burn to it that would encourage me to slow down a bit. This would probably make for a very smooth old fashioned.
After making an old fashioned with this sample, holy smoothness batman. Yes, it is one of the smoothiest old fashions I ever had.
I could see myself buying this. I feel this would be a nice casual whiskey to have on hand. Would taste again.
Carol Baldwin
Appearance: Nice amber color.
Smell: mmm. Vanilla and light wood notes.
Taste: Vanilla again! Very vanilla, with a pleasant heat on the tongue. And do I detect a bit of fruit?
Finish: Smooth, and surprisingly clean, with a light lingering heat.
General Thoughts:
This was a surprisingly light and smooth whiskey to my palate. Vanilla notes at the forefront, and golden oak flavors came out the more I sipped and savored. Maybe even some fruity notes as well? Was this possibly aged in wine barrels? I do enjoy drinking whiskey straight up and this is a really good one for that. Did I say it is smoooooth? I have to know what this is, cause I wanna buy it. I'm thinking it's a bourbon.
P.S. - I did also taste this in an Old Fashioned, and while it was very smooth, it almost seemed a waste to drink this excellent whiskey this way. Straight up I would say is the way to go.
Admiral Hawkes
Upon receiving the second mystery bottle, I immediately opened it and had a whiff. My first reaction was, “there’s a lot of corn in that mash bill!”. I believed I was going to be tasting a bourbon when I got home.
Before the first taste, I compared its nose to Blanton’s and a Four Roses Single Barrel I had in the house, both of which I like very much. It registered closer to the Four Roses on aromatics. The first tumbler, taken neat, delivered some overtones of caramel and a bit more fire than I expected. I did not detect some of the earthiness I was anticipating. I felt like it drank more like a scotch than a bourbon. So much so that I questioned my initial reaction and wondered if my trusty schnozzola needed calibration.
When tasted the next day on the rocks, the earthiness emerged along with the mellowness I associate with bourbon. Yet I still could not shake the idea that this one drinks like a scotch in the way it feels, yet breathes like a bourbon.
As I write this, I have the empty bottle with a drop or two of whiskey still inside. It is most decidedly not a scotch, and is actually giving me floral overtones today. So I am guessing it is perhaps a higher proof bourbon, which might explain the mouth feel. I liked it and could find room in my cabinet near the Blanton’s and Four Roses.
Robin Masters (smell with a very small taste)
Initial smell of wood, sap, and mild alcohol. After a few minutes in the glass the alcohol subsided (or my nose was sufficiently numbed) and caramel and vanilla emerged. This smells like a very sweet bourbon.
The first small taste had a slight alcohol burn with a taste of licorice. Subsequent sips yielded orange and apple. There was an oily mouthfeel, buttery, and smooth. Brown sugar and honey came shortly after. I would guess this is not a high proof bourbon, most likely around 80 proof. Very nice.
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