mbroo5880i Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I have been enjoying a store select bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel. It is a 2003 version. I had never had Evan Williams Single Barrel before and I really love this one. I understand there are differences between the various vintages (e.g., 2002, 2003, 2004, etc.). I also understand that with a single barrel selection there will be some variability barrel-to-barrel.I am just curious. Does Heaven Hill try to keep the flavor characteristics consistent within a certain year? For example, do they seek the same flavor profile for all 2003 bottlings? If so, do they select barrels from the same rickhouse and area for a given year?My bottle says Rickhouse Q. If I were to buy a bottle from another retailer but with the same year and Rickhouse, would it be fair to expect it to share a similar flavor profile?I ask these questions because it seems that other single barrel offerings typically shoot for a consistent profile (e.g., FRSB, Blanton's, etc.) but it seems like EW shoots for a different profile each year. I just want to better understand this offering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Craig Beam, who does the barrel selections for EWSB, has answered this question a few times in interviews. I recall in one when he was asked why the annual selections were variable he answered, "Because I've gotten better at selecting the barrels". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyd Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 (edited) I think it's pretty cool that Craig stays within the basic given structure but then each year you get something a little different based on the variation of weather over time, barrel wood selection (different timber plot), differences in grain year to year, Craig's palate at the time e picked the barrel, etc. Chuck Cowdery has a blog post that is very enlightening as to the motive behind the series."The idea is that there are slight differences from barrel to barrel within a vintage as well as between vintages, but there is always a family resemblance. As the series evolved it came to represent what Heaven Hill felt was the best of their bourbon output during a given year, a calling card of sorts, a sample of liquid from their vast inventory that possesses all the qualities they feel a first-rate bourbon should have, a benchmark."http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-new-evan-williams-single-barrel.html?m=1 Edited March 27, 2014 by jonnyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 I think it's pretty cool that Craig stays within the same profile for the year but then each year he gives you a little something different. Like Chuck Cowdery said in his blog. Very enlightening as to the purpose behind the series."The idea is that there are slight differences from barrel to barrel within a vintage as well as between vintages, but there is always a family resemblance. As the series evolved it came to represent what Heaven Hill felt was the best of their bourbon output during a given year, a calling card of sorts, a sample of liquid from their vast inventory that possesses all the qualities they feel a first-rate bourbon should have, a benchmark."http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-new-evan-williams-single-barrel.html?m=1Thanks! I read Chuck's blog but must have missed this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyd Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Welcome mbroo. With all that he writes it's easy to miss sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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