Ewsb 1998?

[felthove]

Just picked up a bottle of this stuff this morning and haven't tried it yet. I know the 97 wasn't nearly as well recepted as past vintages but I was curious if anyone has tried the 1998. I didn't put this in the Tasting section since I haven't tasted it yet

[felthove]

I found this Malt Advocate review just now...

81 points. Evan Williams Single Barrel, 1998 vintage, 43.3%, $25

Darker, more lush, and with less of the crisp, lively spice notes when compared to last year’s vintage. (Keep in mind that single cask bottlings vary from cask to cask.) The predominant component of the new vintage is its layers of sweetness (toffee, molasses, vanilla fudge, and candy corn), with underlying nougat and glazed fruit. An enjoyable, soothing bourbon, but I would like to see more spice and fruit to go with the sweet notes. This whiskey will work nicely after dinner (perhaps with a cigar?)

(1st Quarter 2008 Issue-Vol. 17#1)

http://www.maltadvocate.com/buyers-bo-EvanWilliams.asp

[Taggerung]

I'm eager to try it as I'm making my initial tour of bourbon with sweeter varieties/expressions/brands. Up here in Michigan we've got a lot of the 1997 sitting around on the shelves, so I'm not sure when the '98 will filter in. While EW is transitioning from one vintage to the next do retail stores stock both or do we have to wait for all ove the 1997 to get bought up?

[Tennessee Dave]

I actually thought the 97 was pretty good. My bottle is gone, hehe:lol:

[felthove]

I've managed to have a couple of pours and it is decent but not remarkable. I'd say it isn't quite as sweet (or simple) as the 81 point review I posted above but it is leaning that way. Ho hum.

[Black85L98]

I like all the EWSB. It is sweet, or at least to me.

[spun_cookie]

I found the 97 better than the 96... but none of them drive me to get the 98. Good pour for the price, but I would rather have Weller...

[mgilbertva]

Personally, I liked the '97 quite a bit. Better than '96 and maybe a slight edge over the '95, but they're close.

I know this is a thread dedicated to the '98, but I have nothing to contribute there ... yet.

[SMOWK]

Lately, I've always had a bottle on the shelf. A nice mild pour for one and all. Not too sour, not too sweet. Seems to be right in the middle for me. And at a store nearby it's $22/.750. Pretty good deal in my eyes.

SMOWK

[CorvallisCracker]

Okay, I'm sure this has been asked before, but I have been searching threads and can't find it.

Heaven Hill's Bardstown distillery was destroyed by fire in 1996.

They acquired the Bernheim distillery in 1999.

Where were the 1997 and 1998 EWSB distilled?

[Rughi]

Okay, I'm sure this has been asked before, but I have been searching threads and can't find it.

Heaven Hill's Bardstown distillery was destroyed by fire in 1996.

They acquired the Bernheim distillery in 1999.

Where were the 1997 and 1998 EWSB distilled?

If memory serves, Beam '97 and Brown Forman '98.

[Gillman]

I think it was Beam both years and Rittenhouse that was made at B-F in that period.

Gary

[cowdery]

The first batch was made at Beam. The rest has been made at Brown-Forman. Although they did acquire Bernheim in 1999, I'm told the 1998 will still be from Brown-Forman. We'll get the first Bernheim-made EWSB in late 2009.