Evan Williams Single Barrel

[cowdery]

I read in a press release last week that Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal has named the 1990 Evan Williams Single Barrel "Whiskey of the Year" for 1999. I mention it only because I agree that the EWSB is terrific, and because it's nice to see Heaven Hill getting some respect. The press release says the average retail price is $22.99. It used to be $19.95 here, but recently I haven't been able to find it for less than $23.95.

I guess when we find a whiskey we really like that's a good value, we better just keep our mouths shut.

- chuck

[LewBryson]

Chuck sez: "I guess when we find a whiskey we really like that's a good value, we better just keep our mouths shut." HA! That's like telling them that a $13 whiskey would be cheap at $20: careful what you wish for!

I'm not a huge fan of the table whiskies from Heaven Hill, but the bigger older ones hit me right. I just went through a bottle of Elijah Craig 12 YO with some old friends, and boy, was it smooth and rich, like golden syrup and light molasses. Tonsil oil.

Lew Bryson

Hirsch Reserve 16 YO: Real Pennsylvania Bourbon

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

I just picked up a bottle of the Evan Williams Single Barrel. This is the batch that was barreled in 1989. It was a holiday gift set, so I got the Whiskey and 2 nice "old fashion" glasses with it for $21. These are the short and fat cocktail glasses, as opposed to a taller and narrow "Tom Collins" or "High Ball" glass.

Enough about glassware.

Now for the Whiskey. I agree with Chuck when he states that this is a good value. I benchmarked it against the Jack Daniels Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey. I know, not a Bourbon, but a damn fine Straight Whiskey nonetheless. I just like to have a known quantity to comapre to whenever I try something new.

I have only tried the Evan Williams Single Barrel once so far, so I don't want to say too much until I have had the chance to try it on several different occasions. I can however say that it is pretty smooth with some very interesting and complex flavours. Not sure what all I can detect in there, but definitely much more interesting than the Jack Daniels.

As for your creative writing Lew, you are losing me somewhere. You said:

"Chuck sez: "I guess when we find a whiskey we really like that's a good value, we better just keep our mouths shut." HA! That's like telling them that a $13 whiskey would be cheap at $20: careful what you wish for!"

Why would Chuck keeping his mouth shut about a brand that he believes to be a good value be like telling them that a $13 whiskey would be cheap at $20? Does that mean that you think that the Evan Williams Singel Barrel is only worth $13?

-Bill

[cowdery]

Quiet, the Elijah Craig is ill-stay a good alue-vay.

- chuck

[LewBryson]

No, Bill, I was agreeing with Chuck by positing a stupid position. I've actually heard people tell distillers they should be charging more for their whiskey; I'd like to kick them in the head. Sure, it's good whiskey and the prices bourbons go for compared to Scotch prices are ridiculous. Doesn't mean things should change!

Lew Bryson

Hirsch Reserve 16 YO: Real Pennsylvania Bourbon

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

I have had several good experiences recently with the upper half of the Heaven Hill line. I like the Elijah Craigs (cool name too) when I am in a mood for smokey and smooth. But by far the most balanced and enjoyable any time is the Evan Williams Single Barrel. I am on my second bottle of this stuff since discovering it a little over a month ago. And what a deal at $ 20 a 750 ml bottle (1987 vintage) from my favorite 'lost in the woods' liquor store here in Arkansas.

In times like these when Brown-Foreman can take a 4 year old Old Forrster, age it three more years and bottle it in a fancy bottle and Charge $ 33 (don't get me wrong, I like both of these bourbons), It is refreshing the there are still value conscience folks like Heaven Hill who can offer a great deal like EWSB. They get my vote and my $.

Mark A. Mason, El Dorado, Arkansas

[Creggor]

Hello, For what's it worth. For the money 1990 Evan Williams is one of my favorite Bourbons. I have bought a number of bottles this and have enjoyed it everytime I have tried it. It is world class Bourbon and in my opinion worth every penny they charge for it and better than many at higher prices.If you have not tried this one do yourself a favor and buy some. I'm talking myself into going out tomorrow and getting 2 more bottles to go with the 3 sealed bottles I already have in my reserve. Creggor

[boone]

Hi Chuck,

I guess I posted my message in the wrong place last night so I will repost it here. Yes, you are right the Evan Williams Single Barrel 1990 was awarded whiskey of the year from Spirit Journal 1999.

Max posted a letter on the board yesterday. It said that the Evan Williams Single Barrel was awarded whiskey of the year 2001 from the Malt Advocate Magazine.

He thanked us for all the hard work we have done and that the awards could not have been posssible without it. So, folks we have another winner here-------GO FOR IT!!!!!!

Bettye Jo

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Congratulations Bettye Jo!

And congratulations again to Craig, Parker, Max, and everyone else who had a hand in your second Whiskey of the Year award.

I haven't seen the 1991 in the stores yet, but you can bet I'm watching for it We have '88, '89, and '90 in our collection. Was '87 the first year? Does anyone know where there is any of that available?

Who selects the barrels for the EWSB, Craig or Parker?

=John=

http://w3.one.net/~jeffelle/whiskey

[bourbonmed]

John,

I'm fairly certain 1986 was the first year for the vintage dated EWSB. I saw a couple of '86 bottles recently in Gatlinburg, TN, but do not recall the name of the liquor store. Most of the taste notes I've read say the newer vintages are better, culminating with top honors in '89 and "Whiskey of the Year" in '90. It's not my favorite whiskey but it's a great value and it smells wonderful. I prefer the '89 over the '90.

Be well,

Omar

[Creggor]

Please, Oh. Please advise on this form as soon as anyone see or trys the 1991 Evan Williams Single Barrel. Creggor.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Jeez Cerggor advise yourself! See it. Buy it. Drink it. Love it. You know it's going to be good! You can bet that there will be plenty of banter once it's availability is wide spred. Bettye Jo will have the first bottles, but she won't open them or tell us how good it is. John & Mike will get them next and while we are waiting for our stores to get it in they will tell us just how damn good it tastes. Wait and see. You know it's true!

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Creggor]

Jeez, LINN. You can darn be certain that if and when I find the 1991 EWSB here in Florida I WILL BUY IT, DRINK IT AND DRINK IT AND DRINK IT. DID I SAY ENJOY IT.

I am looking foward to this years version. Creggor.

[MashBill]

John,

Omar is correct. I too have seen the '86 recently. I have not seen the '87 in my neck of the woods.

Bill

http://home.kc.rr.com/mashbill/

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Greggor,

Gary & Mardee Regan (co-authors of "The Book of Bourbon") are doing the write up for The Malt Advocate. It should be in the next issue. You can be sure that they will advise us as to just how damn good it really is! Then we can wait, and wait, and wait some more for it to show up on our stores shelves. I'll buy one.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[boone]

I talked to Craig this morning and I asked him who picks the barrels for the Evan Williams single barrel. He told me that they both did. They pick certain warehouses and pull selected barrels then they both taste test to decide which ones will be the single barrel.

I don't know a lot about this so I asked Craig if would he come to this forum and let everyone ask him questions for about a hour. He said YES. I am going to contact Jim Butler and tell him. He will be happy. We will set a date and time for later if it is ok with Jim.

boone

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Ultra-Cool! Thanks, Bettye Jo! I think this will be the first live session ever run here. I'll bet there are several other old-line bourbon folks we could "talk" to who wouldn't ordinarily get involved with computers and this "internet thing", but would be happy to be a guest of someone who'd set it up for them. You may have started a trend... I sure hope so! Sharp thinking!!

=John=

http://w3.one.net/~jeffelle/whiskey

[bourbonmed]

Hi Bettye Jo, time to file a gripe:

What's the story with the EWSB '91? I keep looking for it and all I see is the '90 stock. Is it going overseas? Is there a distribution glitch? It's June already -- please ask Max where I may be able to find this phantom bottling.

Unhappy in Florida,

Omar

[Speedy_John]

Omar, I picked up a bottle of EWSB '91 last weekend in (of all places) Toledo, Ohio. So, apparently, it's available in Ohio. I haven't seen the '91 in the Pittsburgh area yet. The phantom is real. . . .

SJ

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

It's here in Virginia too Omar! I picked up two bottles and drank one in a non-critical fashion. It lives up to it's reputation of being a very good bourbon. Whether it's the best in the world or not is up to you and your taste buds. I like it and I'm going to do a blind taste between it and the '90 just to see which I think is better.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

OK folks just to show y'all I am not slack I've just completed a blind taste comparison of the 1990 vs.the 1991. My wife Vickie poured the glasses.

___________________________1990___________________________1991_______________

Color: > > > > > > > a nice amber > > > > > > > > > A darker shade of amber

Nose: > > > > > very delicate & subtle > > > > > > bolder with more oak

Taste: > very well balanced w/ soft flavors > Bigger more pronounced flavors

Finish: > Medium-long,round & pleasent >> Long & round,robust pepper & spice

Overall: I pick the 1991 as the better bottling because I like a bigger, bolder bourbon. The '91 compares well to Woodford Reserve & Russell's Reserve. Blanton's or Kentucky Spirit it ain't. But Heaven Hill has gotten closer.

The 1990 is a far more subtle bottling. Everything is soft and easy drinking. This bottling actually compares better with Old Charter 12 year old or the 13 year old Proprieter's Reserve. If you are a fan of wheated bourbons than you may find that the 1990 is more to your liking.

As for me I pick the '91 as the better vintage just because it yells & kicks like a good bourbon should.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Omar and Bettye Jo,

Wow! I'm impressed with what a powerful tool this forum can be. No one can find any bottles of the Evan Williams '91 vintage. At two in the morning on Friday Omar posts to Bettye Jo, "please ask Max..", and by Saturday afternoon I can find it at the liquor store and it looks like everyone else can, too. Some found it a week ago! Amazing!!

=John=

http://w3.one.net/~jeffelle/whiskey

[johnrobe]

I just sampled the '91 EWSB last night and I must say that I really enjoyed it. What really stood out for me were the tastes of dried apples and dates.

I have been able to find plenty of '91 and '89 EWSB locally, but no '90. I've also seen a couple of the '88 vintage. Can anyone tell me how it compares? Should I pick up a bottle of '88 or just stock up on '91?

Thanks

[cowdery]

I say pick up some of the '89, at least try it. I had the opportunity in August to taste the whole "history" of the EWSBV line, from '86 to '92, with Parker and Craig and some other bourbon writers. We all, including the Beams, agreed that the '86 and '87 weren't all that great. "What were you thinking?" was, I believe, the question we asked and Parker didn't have a real satisfactory answer. Things got much better in '88 and '89, where they hit what to me was kind of an ideal balance of flavors. Although I love where they have been going since then, with increasingly bold flavors, (just wait until you get the '92 early next year) the '89 remains a kind of personal highlight of the series. Your results may vary, but I remember it fondly.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[ratcheer]

I tried the EWSB 1991 for the first time, last night. I am posting my tasting observations before I read what others have said, even though I am aware that it is highly respected by most of you, here.

My main references for this bourbon are its Heaven Hill siblings, Evan Williams black label 6-yr and Elijah Craig 12-yr. All three of these bourbons have what I would call a very traditional corn and rye flavor. When I say traditional, I mean that they strongly remind me of the bourbons I remember drinking in the late 60's and early 70's, when just about all bourbons were made exactly the same way they had been made for decades, and usually by the same people. So, at least in my imagination, that is what "bourbon" tastes like.

The EW black has that flavor, but it is somehow one-dimensional and "thin" tasting. The nose is light and the taste on the tongue doesn't evolve, it is just it. What you get at the start is about what you get at the finish. I prefer it on the rocks over straight. This is a good bourbon, but not a great or even very good one.

The EC 12, while having the same general taste, hits you with a wonderfully rich, maple and caramel nose and flavors. It has deep reserves of additional aftertastes. I consider its richness (some people want to say, "chewy") to be its strong suit. Once I got used to its strong rye spiciness, I have considered this to be an excellent bourbon at any price, but at its actual price it is a huge bargain.

I consider the EWSB to fit in right between the EW black and the EC 12. It is richer and has a greater variety of taste tones than the black, but less than the EC 12. In my humble opinion, it is a very, very good bourbon. But, the EC 12 is a great bourbon.

So, I will savor and cherish my EWSB while the bottle lasts, but in the future I will probably spend my money on the Elijah Craig. I like it better and it costs much less - a win/win.

Tim