Best Evan Williams Bourbon

Last Updated on: 15th April 2024, 09:09 pm

Explore Evan Williams Bourbon, a brand celebrated for its quality and affordability.

This post created with the assistance of whiskey expert Neil Coleman and customer feedback, reviews its top expressions, offering insights for both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers.

Written by: J Highland

Best Evan Williams Bourbon for Each Use

• Evan Williams Green Label: Ideal for budget-friendly cocktails, offering a light and easy-mixing profile.
• Evan Williams Honey: Great for sweet-themed cocktails, featuring unique honey and spice flavors.
• Evan Williams Bourbon: Versatile for both sipping and cocktails, providing a good balance of honey, spice, and leather notes at an affordable price.
• Evan Williams 1783: Best for casual sipping, offering a smooth, nutty profile with a hint of sweetness.
• Evan Williams Single Barrel: Recommended for a sweeter sip, with vanilla and honey flavors that shine best on the rocks.
• Quick Note: Running a pub and liquor store provides me ample access to various spirits, in addition, I moonlight as a spirits distiller. I assess them using customer feedback, expert opinions and online research.

Quick Look at the Evan Williams Range of Bourbons

Whiskey	Price	Rating
Green Label	$20	49
Honey	$15	55
Black Label	$18	58
1783 Small Batch	$20	63
Bottled in Bond	$19	67
Single Barrel	$32	75

Evan Williams Green Label: A Budget-Friendly Bourbon

• Nose: Caramel, ethanol, oak, vanilla
• Palate: Ethanol, caramel, ripe fruit
• Finish: Short, oak char
• Alcohol content: 80 proof (40% ABV)
• How to drink: Cocktails

Looking for a more affordable Evan Williams? The Green Label offers a lower-proof (80 proof) alternative to the Black Label (90 proof).

While it shares similar flavors, the Green Label delivers a lighter taste experience. This makes it less suitable for sipping neat, but a great choice for budget-friendly cocktails at casual gatherings, states whiskey expert Neil Coleman.

Evan Williams Honey: Sweet Sipping with a Twist

• Nose: Honey, clove, mint
• Palate: Honey Nut Cheerios, earthy, nail polish
• Finish: Medium, honey, oak spice
• Alcohol content: 66 proof (33% ABV)
• How to drink: Cocktails

Evan Williams Honey intrigues with its aroma – a mix of honey, clove, and a surprising hint of mint. The taste takes a turn, offering a sweet surprise reminiscent of Honey Nut Cheerios. However, a touch of earthiness and a subtle spice, almost like nail polish, add complexity. The finish is warm with lingering honey and a hint of oak, leaving you wanting another sip.

Overall, it’s a good value for those who enjoy sweet whiskey with a bit of an edge – affordable and perfect for casual enjoyment.

Evan Williams Bourbon: Affordable Sweetness

• Nose: Caramel, vanilla, honey, ethanol
• Palate: Honey, spice, old leather, oak char
• Finish: Old leather, oak char, spice
• Alcohol content: 90 proof (45% ABV)
• How to drink: Cocktails

Evan Williams entices with a sweet nose of honey, caramel, vanilla, and a hint of alcohol. The taste is surprisingly pleasant, offering a decent body with initial sweetness and hints of aged leather. This transitions to a mild oak char bitterness, leaving a warm and spicy finish with a lingering leather note. Adding a touch of water brings out the caramel sweetness and smooths out any roughness.

Overall, Evan Williams isn’t top-shelf, but it’s a solid and affordable choice for enjoying neat or using in cocktails – perfect for casual drinking or everyday pours.

Evan Williams 1783: Smooth Bourbon with a Nutty Twist

• Nose: Peanut, vanilla frosting, cinnamon, brown sugar
• Palate: Caramel, corn syrup, peanuts, cinnamon, oak
• Finish: Charred oak, caramel
• Alcohol content: 90 proof (45% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Evan Williams, a Kentucky transplant from the UK in 1783, lends his name to this affordable bourbon. The aroma is dominated by peanuts, with hints of vanilla frosting, cinnamon, and brown sugar adding sweetness.

The taste offers a medium body with a sweet start of caramel and corn syrup. Peanuts take center stage again, joined by cinnamon, oak spice, and a unique “postage stamp” note. The finish is short and dry, with lingering caramel and oak char.

Evan Williams 1783 is a good value for the price. It’s smooth and balanced, but the prominent peanut flavor might not be for everyone. While it lacks complexity, it’s a solid choice for casual drinking.

Evan Williams: A Cocktail Champion

• Nose: Vanilla, oak, grassy hint, ethanol
• Palate: Oak, maple syrup, vanilla, grassy
• Finish: Lingering heat, corn, oak spice
• Alcohol content: 100 proof (50% ABV)
• How to drink: Cocktails

This 100-proof bourbon offers a sweet nose with hints of vanilla, oak, and a touch of grass. While the aroma has a slight alcohol presence, the taste surprises. It delivers a warming start that transitions to sweet, oaky flavors. The finish is moderate, making it a better choice for mixing cocktails than sipping neat.

Despite not being ideal for sipping, Evan Williams shines in cocktails. Its affordability and balanced flavor profile make it an excellent value for creating mixed drinks.

Single Barrel Evan Williams: Sweet Sip or Mixer?

• Nose: Vanilla, oak, cotton candy
• Palate: Spice, honey, vanilla, oak
• Finish: Medium-length, honey, spice
• Alcohol content: 86 proof (43% ABV)
• How to drink: Rocks

Sweet and inviting, Evan Williams Single Barrel offers a vanilla and cotton candy aroma with a touch of oak. The taste surprises with a spicy kick followed by honeyed vanilla and light oak. While balanced and easy to drink neat, the lighter body might not hold up well in cocktails.

Consider it a sweeter alternative to Eagle Rare for casual sipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does Evan Williams Compare to Other Low-Shelf Bourbons?

• Evan Williams is a solid choice among low-shelf bourbons, comparable to brands like Jim Beam, Jack Daniel’s, and Old Grand Dad.

Are All Evan Williams Expressions Smooth?

• While some Evan Williams expressions are smooth, others may have a bit of a bite and are not as smooth as higher-end bourbons.

What is the History of Evan Williams Bourbon?

• Evan Williams, originally from Wales, UK, migrated to Kentucky in 1783 and established a distillery on the Ohio River.
• Recognized as Kentucky’s First Commercial Distiller, Williams was one of the early distillers in the US to incorporate corn into the mash.

Who Produces Evan Williams Bourbon?

• Evan Williams Bourbon is produced by Heaven Hill at their Bardstown, KY distillery.
• The brand has become one of the best-selling bourbon brands in the United States.