Evan Williams Single Barrel - best vintage?

[tango-papa]

I would be most appreciative of any input from anyone regarding the question:

What, in your opinion, is the mostest-bestest vintage of Evan Williams Single Barrel and why?

In my somewhat cursory search here at SB.com, it would seem the 1994 vintage might be most often named as the 'one'...

What say All-Y'all? (All-Y'all is the proper Texification of plural references...)

Thanks in advance for any input and opinions given!

~tp

[mgilbertva]

Nice timing on this one, at least for selfish interests. I've been trolling web sites and tasting notes exploring the same question. So, I'm very interested in what people have to say.

Unfortunately, I've only tried the 1997, which has not gotten good reviews. From what I've read over at bourbonenthusiast.com , as well as other places, this was actually a Jim Beam product, not Heaven Hill. Does that mean this is a Beam barrel and therefore comparable to other Beam bourbons? Or did they make this to HH's specifications?

While I don't have any notes, and it's been awhile, I remember being quite fond of it. A lighter style bourbon and not especially challenging, but quite pleasant and well-behaved. While it is mild-mannered, I did not find it without a reasonable amount of character given the price ($20). I will definitely invite the '97 back to my house for another visit.

I currently have the 1991, 1995 and 1996 in my bunker.

[jwrussell]

Glad this was posted, I've been interested in the question myself. From the searches I did here it seemed to me that the 95 got high marks, so this should be interesting.

[nickynick]

I have only had the 94, 95, and 96 and only own the 95 and 96. I enjoy them both. I'm interested in what other say. The 97 is Beam? So is this the first batch post HH fire?

[Rughi]

So is this the first batch post HH fire?

This was discussed a few months ago here:
http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...highlight=Evan
starting with post 2.

Roger

[tango-papa]

I would be most appreciative of any input from anyone regarding the question:

What, in your opinion, is the mostest-bestest vintage of Evan Williams Single Barrel and why?

In my somewhat cursory search here at SB.com, it would seem the 1994 vintage might be most often named as the 'one'...

What say All-Y'all? (All-Y'all is the proper Texification of plural references...)

Thanks in advance for any input and opinions given!

~tp

Anyone? Bueller?

[Gillman]

I like the '97.

Gary

[RedVette]

I have a hard time with "best". I like em all, and have an 89,94,95,and 96 open right now. I finished off the early 90's in my collection and have not been able to replace them. I haven't opened the 97 yet, but will soon. At this time I would not be able to pick a "best".

[cowdery]

1994 was the best recent vintage, one that is arguably still pretty available.

In 2001, I did a tasting of 1986 through 1992, which was everything made to that point. Of that group I ranked 1990 and 1992 the highest. So I would say 90, 92 and 94 have been the three best, but I would not attempt to rank them among themselves.

Although I usually resist the idea of picking a "best," the way Heaven Hill has run the EWSBV program has made comparison and judging appropriate. It's appropriate because HH has said that they select the best whiskey that's available from the vintage year that also matches the EWSB profile.

Some of the 96 and all of the 97 is whiskey made at Jim Beam and not at DSP-31, but I wouldn't call it a Jim Beam product, as it used Heaven's Hill's yeast and mash bill, and Parker and Craig supervised the production. I would characterize it as Heaven Hill whiskey made at Jim Beam.

Remember too that the Heaven Hill Beams and Jim Beam Beams are fairly close relatives, and have cooperated and worked in each others plants many times in the past.

[tango-papa]

1994 was the best recent vintage, one that is arguably still pretty available.

In 2001, I did a tasting of 1986 through 1992, which was everything made to that point. Of that group I ranked 1990 and 1992 the highest. So I would say 90, 92 and 94 have been the three best, but I would not attempt to rank them among themselves.

Although I usually resist the idea of picking a "best," the way Heaven Hill has run the EWSBV program has made comparison and judging appropriate. It's appropriate because HH has said that they select the best whiskey that's available from the vintage year that also matches the EWSB profile.

Some of the 96 and all of the 97 is whiskey made at Jim Beam and not at DSP-31, but I wouldn't call it a Jim Beam product, as it used Heaven's Hill's yeast and mash bill, and Parker and Craig supervised the production. I would characterize it as Heaven Hill whiskey made at Jim Beam.

Remember too that the Heaven Hill Beams and Jim Beam Beams are fairly close relatives, and have cooperated and worked in each others plants many times in the past.

Chuck,

Thank you for that very informative reply!
As I'm sure you know, here in the Houston-metro area there are many, many old mom & pop type liquor stores. On my Bourbon-huntin' outings, I see various vintages of the EWSB quite often and just wanted to know if one was 'better' than others so-to-speak. Not interested in 'collecting' all the bottlings, just the 'better' ones.

So, based on the reply's thus far...

Chuck likes the '90, '92 and '94 and I for one, trust his judgement! So, any of these would be good additions to the 'collection' and the highest probability of a 'hit' is the 1994.
RedVette likes all of 'em that he's sampled - Thanks Red!
Gary likes the 1997 - thanks Gary!

Anyone else gonna weigh-in here?
Again, just curious, of the vintages you've had, which did you prefer most and why?

~tp