200 year Evan Williams?

[Kat B]

Hey There. I have been gifted an unopened 1983 200 year celebration Evan Williams bottle. It's not the decanter, just the normal bottle. 
I have 2 questions, because I cannot find information on the general internet. 1. What does it taste like!? 2. Any idea what it is worth? I am not going to sell it, it is a family heirloom (until I drink it). 

[Richnimrod]

It's just the regular run of Evan Williams with a commemorative label.    That claim of a 200-year anniversary is pretty much just marketing BS, though.  There MAY be some small grain of truth in among the BS; but it ain't much, I'm sure.

As to it's value?   Unless you find someone with a label fetish, I assume it's worth about $20.    Keeping it unopened as a 'family heirloom' is fine.   Just go buy a bottle of the current Evan Williams, if you want to know what it taste like.   It'll be fairly close, though your 'old' bottle may taste a little different (probably richer/deeper).   

Might be fun to get a new one, and pour two drinks side-by-side after opening the 'old' one and compare the aromas, flavors and mouthfeel.    Let us know how they compare, if you do.

 

[smokinjoe]

This is 8 year old “pre fire” HH whiskey.  You’ll find it to be much different than current Evan Williams.  You should get more of the HH “House Style” mentholyptus-y note along with good and solid caramel, brown sugar, oak, and other bourbon notes.  Very cool bottle, and in great shape.  

[GaryT]

The pre-fire and age stated would likely fetch some premium at an auction (seeing an example of an 8 yr Evan Williams fetching close to $200, but it is a different label - and not sure how much of the value is the label vs the whiskey!)  But if you've never tried pre-fire Heaven Hill, it is a chance to truly taste history!

[PaulO]

Who knows, given the "whiskey glut era" it may even have some older than 8 year old barrels dumped into it.

Distilled at the DSP 31 distillery (that later went up in flames) - a cool bottle to have.