Evan Williams Black Label Vs Jack Daniels
- Evan Williams Black Label Vs Jack Daniels Bbq Sauce
- Evan Williams White Label Review
- Evan Williams Black Label Age
By Richard Thomas
Whiskey Review: Evan Williams Black Label July 29, 2019 May 16, 2020 Nick Leghorn Spirits, Whiskey Ask most people what the most popular whiskey is in the United States and you’ll probably get some combination of Jack Daniels or Fireball. A Black Label and a shot of Evan. Long story short, 10 years later, I still love it. Evan Williams is my cheap go to whiskey. I got introduced to it at a bar in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Evan Williams is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky, by the Heaven Hill company. The product is aged for a minimum of four years (which is more than the two year minimum to be called 'straight' bourbon, but is the minimum requirement for a straight whiskey that does not have an age statement on the label).
Rating: C+
Evan Williams Black Label Vs Jack Daniels Bbq Sauce
It says it right there on the bottle: “Kentucky’s 1st Distiller” and “Since 1783.” Although some legendary figures in bourbon history predate Evan Williams, the Welsh immigrant was the first to set up a commercial distillery, and in what was then the American frontier before Kentucky was a state or the debate on the U.S. Constitution had even begun. It’s a lucky thing for the Evan Williams legacy that he collected the river wharf dues for the town of Louisville, since that cemented his place in the records on top of putting some extra coin in his pocket.
In the modern context, Evan Williams Black Label is the #2 mass market bourbon, right after Jim Beam White. Even so, I have generally thought of Evan Williams as the true sleeper of big name bourbons. Despite the healthy sales numbers, I see Jim Beam or Wild Turkey on bar shelves far more often than Evan Williams, making it more of a liquor store favorite. That ought to change, if for no other reason than it is hard to match this bourbon’s low price and solid quality.
Evan Williams White Label Review
The Bourbon
Evan Williams Black is reputed to be based on mostly five to seven year old bourbons, and bottled at 86 proof (43% abv). Compare that to the eponymous Jim Beam White, which is quoted at four to six years and definitely bottled at 80 proof.
The color is in the vein of light amber, like a coppery honey. The scent is corn sweet, leaning into citrus sweet, with a hint of vanilla and a dash of rye spice cinnamon.
Evan Williams Black Label Age
On the palate, the bourbon has an unremarkable feel, neither thick nor thin. The flavor kicks with a solid current of oak to start, with a layer of that corn-leaning-to-citrus sweetness underneath. A pinch of rye spice emerges about in the middle, along with a trace of oak. The finish is lightly sweet, with a moderately warm and mid-length run.
The Price
Evan Williams is a decent mass market bourbon. Some thing it is better than the others, and some do not. That is just a matter of opinion, but what isn’t is the price, usually just $11 or $12 per fifth (750 ml) in most of America. Cheaper than that runs to rotgut.