Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Evan Williams Bourbon Experience

The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience bourbon fountain (not real bourbon).

It is 6:30am on Thursday, November, 21st when I leave Madison, Wisconsin. We have a long drive ahead of us. Google Maps says it’ll be about seven hours to drive to Louisville. Which is good because the last tour at the new Evan Williams Experience is at four o’clock and I really want to hit that before I continue out of town the next morning. Everything is going good. 

Until I hit Chicago. 

Google must have never been to Chicago. With the time change, I should have arrived around three or a little before. I instead arrive at 4:05pm. You’ve never seen a sad Eric like you saw that day. Even with rushing to make up the hour or more I lost in Chicago, I still miss the last tour by 5 minutes. Figuring that we’d at least get to to go the gift shop, we park and go in anyway, maybe the tour is running late.

We walk in and are greeted by three or four people working there. I walk up to the one heading my direction and quietly say “I’m guessing we missed the last tour, didn’t we?” The lady nods sadly and assures me that we did indeed miss it. After she asks if we’ll be around tomorrow, I shake my head and explain that, no, we are continuing on right away in the morning and that we’d driven from Madison just to try to make it there before they closed. The lady asked me to hang on for a minute and walked over to the group. They talked among themselves for a moment and then we were waved over to the counter. It seems a tour has just opened up. 

People in Kentucky are so nice. I didn’t ask them to make a special tour for my wife and I. I didn’t expect it. But they went ahead and offered it. So I said yes, and handed over my credit card. 

After a brief wait for the tour ahead of us to clear out of the movie, we went in. They chose a good name for the tour. It’s not a distillery tour like you are used to. This really is an experience. This is an exhibit designers dream. There are wall sized movie panels with permanent set pieces in and around them. There is a working distillery. There are interior store fronts. It’s really, really nicely done. And Vicky, our tour guide was wonderful. A warm and engaging person, she took us into all the rooms including the tasting room we weren’t going to be tasting in. And along the way we learned the legend of Evan Williams. Starting from the meeting hall where he was nominated wharf-master and ending in the gift shop. How very Disney of them. 

A little bourbon in the glass is a very nice way to end a wonderful experience.

Paired Reviews: New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon and Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel Stout

Holy Crap! I hate canker sores! They hurt when you talk, when you smile and, yes, when you drink bourbon. I've been living with them for two weeks now. It's been two weeks with no bourbon to speak of. And with no bourbon in my life for the last two weeks, you might imagine that I'd be sad. That there would be tears and despair. 

You'd might imagine that, but you'd be wrong. You'd be wrong because while you can't have bourbon with a mouth sore, you can have beer. And on most nights beer is a nice consolation for no bourbon. 

So what, you might be asking, does any of that have to do with a bourbon blog? A couple years ago, I was made aware of an amazing phenomenon happening in the world of beer. Namely the aging of beer in used bourbon barrels. I've had a few of these. Stouts, IPAs and others, but one of my favorites was one I didn't realize was barrel aged, the first time I had it. I had asked for a good beer (surprise me) at a local burger place known for their beer selection and what was brought to me was Dragon's Milk from New Holland brewery. I loved it from the first sip, but knew nothing about it. It wasn't until much later that I learned it was barrel aged.

Imagine my delight when I learned that New Holland was releasing a bourbon that had been finished in Dragon's Milk barrels. That's right, they were releasing a bourbon barrel aged beer barrel aged bourbon. The very concept is hard to keep straight. 

But the real question is how does it taste? And does it live up to it's amazing sibling? Let's find out.

New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon

Nose: Initially a lot of alcohol. After sitting a bit it settles into maple syrup and a hint of oak.

Taste: First sip is nutty and malty. Reminds me of Grape-Nuts cereal. Beyond that, the bourbon is soft and creamy with some oak and some tannins. 

Finish: This was odd. You swollow and your mouth tingles. Nothing strange so far. But then after a few seconds a burn comes up from your stomach and settles over your heart. Not painful, just warm. At that point the tingle has faded and there is a lingering sweetness in the mouth.

So how does it compare to the beer? I don't do a lot of beer tasting notes, but here goes nothing...

New Holland Dragon's Milk Boubon Barrel Stout

Nose: Straight up corn flakes

Taste: Nutty and malty Grape-Nut flavor with some fruitiness tossed in for good measure.

Finish: Lingering malty sweetness

Overall: I love this beer. It is sweet without being cloying. It's interesting but also downright tasty. I would drink the heck out of this (and also have). The bourbon is interesting. There is certainly a resemblance between the two. That nutty-malty Grape-Nut flavor is present in both. If you love the beer, you owe it to yourself to try the bourbon. With it's creamy nuttiness, it makes a nice-change-of-pace bourbon. That said, if you are not a fan of this beer, do not buy this bourbon. I happen to love the beer and as such, I like the bourbon.

like.gif

Like the Bourbon.

 

 

love.gif

Love the Beer.

The story of a falling out, a relationship rekindled and a review: Bulleit Bourbon

In light of recent allegations made by the daughter of Tom Bulleit of his homophobia and mental and physical abuse toward her, I have made the decision that BourbonGuy.com can no longer endorse products bearing the Bulleit name. An update has been added to reflect this change in policy.

Can you believe that Bourbon Heritage Month is almost over? Tomorrow marks the closing ceremonies and if you are like me, you'll be marking the occasion solemnly, with a bit of time for quiet reflection on bourbons come and bourbons gone...

Oh who am I kidding? While bourbon lends itself to the quiet contemplation quite nicely, the last hurrah of a month of bourbon should be celebrated. You should raise a glass and let people know that while the official celebration is damn near over, you keep bourbon in your heart all year long. 

To such an end, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine. This friend has been with me for most of my bourbon journey. He comes from good stock, though he's a bit shy of telling you exactly where he's from. He's got a reputation for hanging out with musicians, cowboys, and other rough and rowdy types. But he's nice to have around in a pinch and very seldom lets you down. 

Bulleit Bourbon was my first "favorite bourbon," as it is for many people just getting into bourbon. I think that's partly because it is just expensive enough at around $30 to let you feel that you might be drinking the "good stuff" and put together well enough to not make you regret spending the money. 

Yes, it was my first favorite. But, until recently I hadn't purchased a bottle for a couple years. What happened? Well, like any first love, we grew apart. I was looking for the next big thing. More expensive. Harder to find. Limited. Rare. Better, right? You know the drill. I was always out looking for a taste of the strange. Add in the fact that, at the time I finished that last bottle, I hadn't quite come to terms with drinking bourbon without a large chunk of ice and my relationship with Bulleit was doomed. It was everything that the "good" bourbons weren't. It was inexpensive (by comparison). It was readily available. It wasn't "rare" or "limited." And on top of it all, it didn't do well with that large chunk of ice I used to add to every glass. It fell apart into a watery mess. 

So I left it behind. I moved on. I still had a soft spot for it, I mean, who doesn't for their first love. But, no, I barely acknowledged its presence when I'd see it sitting there on the shelf. And did I feel guilty about that? Heck no. I was better than it and we both knew it.

But then a funny thing happened. The next big thing lost its luster. I lost the sense of satisfaction from the hunt. Expensive just seemed...expensive. I just wanted something that wouldn't break the bank. And that I wouldn't feel bad about emptying. And I started to think about the bourbons that I used to love back when everything was new and fun. And I turned back to my first favorite. At the beginning of the month, on my birthday, I bought myself a bottle of Bulleit to see if it was as good as I remembered or as bad as I remembered.

Let's see how it did.

Bulleit Bourbon

Nose: JuicyFruit gum, citrus, sawdust and a tiny bit of smoke.

Mouth: Smoke, sawdust, vanilla, honey and rye spice. This is a hot one.

Finish: The heat continues in a hot finish that settles right over the heart and stays there for a while. Good length to the finish. It's got a good bit of bitter tannins that dry the mouth after you swallow.

like.gif

Thoughts: It turns out it was as good as I remember. I really like this. It's a touch hot so it will benefit from the addition of a little water or a very small cube of ice. But be careful. Add too much and it will fall apart and be too thin and watery. The conventional wisdom is that this is made by Four Roses for Diagio and I'd believe that as I found the JuicyFruit gum on the nose that I often associate with Four Roses. And for the price, this is just a damn fine bourbon that you should be happy to have on the shelf and not be too sad when you finish. I mean, there is another bottle waiting for you right where you got that one from.

And that's a good thing.

UPDATE:

So, right after I finished posting this, I pick up the news to find the following (brought to us by WhiskyCast): Decision Time for Diageo On Sitzel-Weller.

From what I understand, this shouldn't affect the ubiquity of Bulleit for a while, if ever. I've read that Diageo ages the bourbon themselves so if Four Roses quits supplying unaged juice in six months there should still be Four Roses produced Bulleit aging for a few more years. The remaining stocks might be mixed with other non-four Roses produced bourbon as they get a new supplier or start producing themselves. In such a possibility, the taste would gradually change over time, but that's part of the fun of bourbon. As much as people try to claim that nothing ever changes, over time it always does.

It does mean that there will be a sample or two of my current bottle put into the library of samples I keep so that I can revisit it in a few years as a comparison.

2019 update:

As stated above I have made the editorial decision that I can no longer endorse or recommend products from the Bulleit family of labels. This is an extension of the policy in my Statement of Ethics where I do not allow homophobic comments. In this case I’d rather not continue to help enrich a man alleged to have physically abused his own daughter over her sexuality. The review has been left intact for transparency’s sake.

Things I learned in Canada and a Review of Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve

Well, I've been back in the United States for about a week now. I'm fully recovered from the early mornings, late nights and long drives. But looking back on it, I learned a lot while I was there. Some of it about Ontario, some about me. Some of it is minor, some...well not profound, but certainly less minor. 

Things I learned about Ontario & it's people & me 

Driving:

  • They do not "Merge" while driving, they "Squeeze." And I find that delightful.
  • Toronto will never, not be under construction. (I have that on good authority by an employee of the government.)
  • Ontario speed limits are extremely SLOW!!! 70-90 KPH? In the most extremely non-urban areas? Are you kidding me? I'm used to 70-80 MPH as a minimum.
  • Temporary orange lines for temporary lanes in a construction zone! Genius!
  • Canadian construction barrels are really skinny. But people still run them over.
  • I never want to drive in Toronto again. 

Money:

  • Ontario is expensive! (Across the board: soda, booze, attractions, public transportation, coffee...but not beer. hmmm...)
  • Pennies are stupid. Rounding feels better and less ticky-tacky. (but I still hate dollar coins...except for vending and tolls and bus fare and...)
  • Serious looking people in suits saying Toonie is just a bit silly.

Food:

  • Hamburgers in Toronto come with unannounced mayo.
  • Although vinegar on pizza is not a thing, I hope I helped to make it one. Also vinegar as a condement is totally a thing there.
  • I want the St. Lawrence Market by my house. 

People:

  • Toronto people do not say ah-boot instead of about (at least not those I met)
  • The homeless will thank you for not giving them money and tell you to have a nice day.
  • Canada is empty. The folks I met with claim that 75% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US border. My limited experience seems to bear this out...though I doubt I was ever further than 100 miles from the US border. 
  • Just as not every Minnesotan loves hockey (me), not every Canadian loves hockey. 
  • Elton John got married in Toronto (acording to our tour guide on the sightseeing tour)
  • Everyone I talked to in Toronto had a slightly different accent.
  • The accent I picked up lasted most of a week before tv and Minnesota brought it back to normal.

Drinking:

  • When a Canadian says "Let's meet for a dram," it's likely they will bring two full boxes of whisky. Or so my one-time experience tells me.
  • Bourbon is a rip-off in Ontario ($75 for a bottle of Bookers, WTF?).
  • Government run liquor stores are generally bad for a varied selection, but centralized inventory lookup is really convenient.
  • It is way cheaper to bring booze home from Canada than into Canada if you are over your duty-free allowance. And that is good, because they really do keep the best whisky at home.
  • Forty Creek lived up to it's (unofficial) advertising. They make tasty stuff pretty much across the board. Though the maple liqueur was a bit much for me.

Miscellaneous:

  • Ontario is really big. It's 354,342 sqare miles of land area is roughly the equivalent of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Washington DC, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. It goes from New York to Minnesota and then to Oh-My-God North. (The part we drove through was roughly the size of West Virginia.)
  • I could never take a cruise. I got restless on a beautiful, two-hour ferry ride across a tiny part of Lake Huron.
  • The CN Tower is older than me and glass floors that high up make me way too nervous.

The two most important things I learned in Canada are as follows: 

  1. Canadian whisky folks are amazing people and are worth the trip even if you were to do nothing else but visit them and then hide in your hotel room for the rest of the visit. 
  2. I really need to meet more of my online whisky friends in real-life. Let's all plan to meet at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival next year, ok? Or maybe just drop by my house here in Minnesota. I'm sure my wife will be fine with it. 

I brought three whiskys back from Canada with me. Two, I reviewed during the #DavinTT tastings in May. So here is the third:

Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve 

(Lot 1867-B) 40% ABV

Nose: A lot of alcohol on the nose at first. After sitting a bit I get a big hit of buttery maple along with a bit of wet ashes. After a while longer the maple fades and is replaced by some sourness. 

Mouth: First sip is sweet, almost cloyingly so, on the tip of the tounge becoming increasingly sour as it moves back in the mouth. Subsequent sips: bring more of the butteriness from the nose and some spice.

Finish: Short burn, very easygoing with a lingering sweetness in the back of the throat. 

like.gif

Thoughts: Overall, I like this but with a few reservations. First, I'd love this at a higher proof. The flavor is just a bit too delicate for me. The finish is almost non-existent and higher proof might help that as well. Finally that sour note was just a bit too much for me this time around. So while I like this, it is not quite in line with my palette. I'm pretty sure he wasn't aiming for bourbon drinkers though. That said, it was fun to taste a whisky aged in Canadian White Oak barrels. Who knows if I'll ever get the chance to do that again.

 

Book Review: Alt Whiskeys

It's been a fun summer for me so far. I've made it my personal goal to try 100 new beers this summer. I think I'm going to make it, between mixed-sixes and brewery sampler flights, I've already tasted 50. (Follow me on Untappd if you are interested in my progress.)

So what does this have to do with a bourbon blog? Well, this increased interest in beer got me to thinking about a book I bought a year or so ago. It's called Alt Whiskeys and is written by Darek Bell, owner of Corsair Artisan distillery in Bowling Green, KY. At the time, I'd never had anything produced by Corsair. But after reading the book, I wanted to. (I got my chance at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival last September.) I was also interested to learn that the author came to the idea of distilling with a background in home brewing beer. 

For some reason the idea of making whiskey and the idea of making beer hadn't clicked as things that the same person would be interested in. I knew that the processes were similar up to a point and that both were creative processes that hopefully ended up with something fun and tasty at the end of it. I will admit now, a year later, that I was pretty self-centered in that outlook. I have an intense fascination with the distilling process, but I have no desire to ever make my own home-brewed beer. And I'd projected that upon others. 

So after all this thinking about beer, I picked up the book and started to reread it. The first thing I have to say is: I loved this book. It's a technical book, but is written in a conversational style. And I'll admit, having never home-brewed, I didn't understand some of it at first. With a little research though, I was able to muddle my way through until I got up to speed. 

The book covers topics such as what brewing and distilling equipment you'll need and how to build your own (and warnings about doing it without the proper licenses), alternative grains you might use (millet, oats, sorghum, etc), inspirations from outside the world of whiskey (beer inspired, hopped and smoked whiskeys) and alternatives to malt, yeast and hops that you might use. It also includes recipes including both ingredients and instructions for brewing, distilling, barreling and bottling. 

All in all, the content in this book will be really interesting to anyone who has an interest in how whiskey is made and what else you might do beyond a traditional version. 

And if all you are interested in is the content, you can stop here. The photos are beautiful, the type choices are interesting, in a good way, and the information provided is top-notch. But I am a designer. And for me how information is presented is almost as big of a deal as the information itself. I've mentored young, inexperienced designers for almost ten years (and was a young, inexperienced designer for years before that). I have some serious issues with the design of this book. I'll just go over a couple of them. 

First, it has practically no margins. The margins of this book are a quarter inch (6.3 mm). That is barely in the safe zone that most printers ask for. They ask for this so they don't accidentally cut off your content (page 14 in my copy is a good example, margin size has slid down to an eighth of an inch while being trimmed). From a reader's standpoint, a lack of adequate margins does two things. First the book feels overfull. This can be used to good effect, but isn't in this case. Second and more important to a book of this physical size, the reader has no room to put their thumbs. This is not a one-handed book that you can hold in the middle. Even with my big hands, it needs to be held at the edge and if you have no place to put your thumbs, you cover the content. This is one of the first things I point out to young designers. Think about how the piece will be used and remove all the things that get in the way of legibility. Like thumbs.

Secondly, the body copy type size is widely inconsistent from page to page, and sometimes from the top to the bottom of a single page. It looks like it ranges from 14 point to 10 point and then to 9 point. 14 point is huge, it's the size I use for pull quotes or sub heads. 10 point is what you'd choose if you have a audience over 40 years old as they will statistically have poorer eyesight. So what if the type is huge and inconsistent? Well, if it had been brought down some, there might have been room for bigger margins for a more functional book and more elegant feel or possibly a smaller page count for a cheaper production.

I like this book a lot. Fix just these two functional design issues and this becomes a book worthy of the coffee table. As it stands this is a book I'm glad to have read. Twice. It's a book I keep on my shelf with my other whisky books. And it is a book I will read again if I ever am in a position to use the information contained within. It's also a book I would love a chance to re-layout. So uh, Mr. Bell, if you're ever going to reprint it look me up, ok?

Head-to-Head-to-Head Review of Bourbon from the Barton 1792 Distillery

I am a cheap bastard. I listen to my music on Spotify (the free account) instead of buying it. I take a sandwich for lunch everyday. I don't go to the movies every month, or even every six. I drove my last car until I was spending almost as much on repairs as I would on a car payment. I drink bourbon and I like bourbon that is under $20 per liter. 

That doesn't mean I won't spend more on a good bottle. I spent $100 on one just a couple weeks ago. I'll spend money if it is deserved. I go to movies that will benefit from the big screen and big sound. When I bought a car, I bought one with all the electronics you could ask for. I buy those few albums that I know I'll be listening to in a few years. I try to buy my dinner hot and pre-made once every couple of weeks, even if it is just delivery. 

If you wanted, you could probably call me "frugal," but I tend to be a bit more plain spoken than that. And besides, cheap doesn't offend me. Cheap means something is worth more than it costs. I love cheap. Cheap is your rough-around-the-edges uncle. Frugal is that quiet chap in your office who seems just a bit stuck up. Cheap is fun. Frugal you are afraid of offending. You don't worry about cheap. Cheap can take care of itself. 

And that is why I picked two of the bourbons I did for tonight's tasting. If you were being nice, you could call them inexpensive. Or a good value. But let's not start mincing words now. These are two cheap bourbons. Even the most expensive of the two is under $25 for a 1.75 L at the Party Source. But, that said, I made a special point of searching these out the last time I was in Kentucky. Everything I read, said that they are a well kept secret in the Bluegrass State and that they are much better than the price tag suggests.

So last time I was there, I picked up a liter of 86 proof Very Old Barton and a 200 mL of the 100 proof version for comparison. Tonight, because it is made at the same distillery and because I prefer a three way double blind, I threw in a pour of my Liquor Barn Selected1792 Ridgemont Reserve as well (second series #5 according to the label). 

Each of these pours was really hot on the nose initially. Just overpowering with alcohol. So in an unusual move, I let them sit for five minutes before coming back to them.

Whiskey A

Nose: First thing I'm hit with is dried corn sitting in a silo. After a while it shows some floral and sweet scents. After a couple sips I could swear someone is baking sweet cornbread in the glass.

Mouth: This disappoints. It's all harsh alcohol on the tongue tip and stays hot as you swallow. It does sweeten some as it moves back in the mouth though.

Finish: warm and peppery. This one definately leaves a tingle that lasts for a while.

meh.gif

Thoughts: This one is so hot that I'd drink it with a couple ice cubes or some water, but even then it wouldn't be my first choice. It's not bad, but not great. It's just meh.

Whiskey B

Nose: Strange as it sounds, the first thing I'm struck with is chocolate milk. But then moving into the smell of silage. Finally landing on sweet brown sugar. 

Mouth: Sweet at the tip of the tongue, but becomes a bit peppery as it moves back in the mouth. Adding a bit of water mutes the pepper and allows some of the wood to show itself.

Finish: This leaves you with all the stereotypical bourbon flavors. Caramel vanilla and oak. It's nice.

meh.gif

Thoughts: This is certainly more interesting to me than A was. Whiskey A was all about the heat. This is a bit more nuanced. That said, it's still just sort of...there. It'll do in a pinch, but also wouldn't be my first choice.

Whiskey C

Nose: This starts just a bit sour. But that fades. You are left with wood and brown sugar.

Mouth: This is very gentle on entry. Sweet with a mild pepper. It's almost cooling after the other two.

Finish: Very quick finish. There is a lot of vanilla along with a hint of dryness.

like.gif

Thoughts: This is easy drinking to the point of being boring. And that's why I like it. I'd reach for this while playing cards or having an animated conversation with a close friend. Something where I don't want to think about my whiskey, I just want to drink it and enjoy what's going on around me.

So which is which? Well, I was sort of surprised to find out that I had ranked them in inverse order to their price. I liked the 86 proof Very Old Barton the most (C),  the 1792 the least (A) and the 100 proof Very Old Barton landed in the middle (B).

Keep in mind that this is not the regular release of 1792 so your milage may vary. This one may very well have been chosen for it's heat. I have tasted it side by side with the regular release and I didn't notice much of a difference, but you never know.

Old Pogue, Collier's Powerful Welsh Cheddar & a Ritz: Powerfully Tasty

Last weekend I had what might have been the most transcendent bourbon experience I've ever had.

I was watching MadMen as the finale to a really good weekend of visiting with family (and playing my first ever game of laser tag). Along with some really tasty bourbon, I had picked up what I hoped was some really tasty cheese. Toss that on a few crackers and I figured I had a yummy, though not necessarily healthy, snack to add to my tv viewing pleasure.

The bourbon: Old Pogue Master Select. The cheese: Collier's Powerful Welsh Cheddar. The crackers: Ritz. Yes, Ritz. I love the greasy buttery goodness of those things...

On their own each are tasty. Together they form a super-group that would make all those mulleted rock super-groups of the 80s quake in their odd-looking and inappropriate-with-tight-pants cowboy boots. (Looking at you Damn Yankees.) I mean, this combination is just heaven in the mouth... 

...or so I remember. Knowing that memories that come from a relaxing session of drinking bourbon are notoriously suspect, I decided tonight that I was going to try to recreate the experience in a more scientific (read that non-tv watching) manner. 

First I tasted the Old Pogue on it's own. Here are my notes:

Old Pogue Master's Select

like.gif

Nose: initially there is a big hit of alcohol. After sitting for a little while I start to pick up caramel apple, baking spices and some vanilla. This is a pleasant nose. Almost comforting. 

Mouth: Repeats a lot of the nose. Tasty, but nothing spectacular. 

Finish: A spicy, sweet burn that lasts a while and is then replaced by a bitter and slightly vegetal after taste. 

Overall: I liked it. I'll certainly buy it again. It's not a go to bourbon, but it'll do when the mood strikes. 

The Combo

love.gif

After a fairly thorough tasting to set the baseline, I add the cheese and cracker to the mix. This is where it gets fun. In order to most accurately recreate the initial experience I add a bit of water to the bourbon as well. The cheese and cracker cancel a bit of the burn left after adding the water. The sharp cheddar completely overpowers the bitterness in the finish. It adds a caramel sweetness to the slightly sweet, salty, sharp, nutty taste of the cheddar and buttery crunch of the ritz which is amazing. It's just as good as I remembered. Damn Yankees have been put on notice. 

And I have to say, it made for one hell of a supper.

Double Blind Review: Evan Williams vs. Evan Williams 1783

Evan-Williams.jpg

I like to travel. A lot. It's pretty much my second favorite hobby. I like it so much that I'd write a travel blog if it wasn't cheaper to go buy a bottle of bourbon than catch a flight to Louisville. And if so much of my travel didn't involve bourbon in some way shape or form. Last September I was in Kentucky. I believe I've mentioned this. One of the little highlights of my trip was stopping into the liquor stores to scope out all the tasty things I couldn't get (or didn't think I could get) at home. One of these was Evan Williams 1783. Since September, I've had it neat a half dozen times or so, used it in a few cocktails and even for cooking on occasion. All in all each experience was enjoyable.

Of course, sometimes you buy something just because you want to compare it to something else. This was the situation I found myself in as I bought a tiny little mini of Evan Williams black label. It was something I'd had and liked before, but with so many other tasty things to try, it had taken a while for me to go pick it up again. Black label was one of the first non-premium bourbons I'd had after I decided I liked bourbon. I'd read that it was a pretty good value bourbon and decided on a whim to pick it up. Good whim. I immediately realized that as far as bourbon was concerned, you didn't need to spend $30-40 to get something really tasty. 

So, having the 1783 in hand and having picked up the mini of the black label, I decided tonight to go head to head. Just to see if different was necessarily better.

Here comes disclaimer-time: I did this in my normal double blind tasting routine where I draw a circle with an A in it, one with a B in it, one with a 1 and then one with a 2. I pour into the glasses labeled A and B and my wife moved them to either 1 or 2. So I know what A and B are, and she knows what 1 and 2 are, but neither of us know what bourbon is 1 and which is 2.

Bourbon 1:

Nose: This is a sticky sweet caramel roll in a glass. 

Mouth: Very sweet on entry. It gets hotter as it moves back in the mouth. Other than that there isn't much else going on here.

Finish: There's a little heat, but it fades pretty quickly.

Thoughts: This is a very pleasant, uncomplicated bourbon. It isn't going to make you sit and think, but that makes it perfect for playing cards. Something to sip on while your attention is somewhere else. 

Bourbon 2:

Nose: right away, I'm reminded of sour milk. not something I want to nose at all. After letting it sit for a 5-10 minutes the sour milk fades and is replaced by a sweet caramel much like bourbon 1.

Mouth: The sweetness is repeated here. It's soft and full in the mouth. 

Finish: Short with almost no heat, but there is a lingering sweetness that I like.

Thoughts: This is so uncomplicated to be almost boring. But sometimes that's a good thing. I'd like this as I watch tv at the end of a rough day. It lends itself well to just vegging out watching an implausible prime-time action drama.

like.gif

Verdict: I shouldn't have been, but I was pretty shocked to find out how similar these two were. The little bit of heat in bourbon 1 was not as pleasant as the softness of bourbon 2. Sweet, sweet, sweet as most inexpensive bourbons are, but pleasant none-the-less. I like these for drinking, not tasting and wouldn't hesitate if offered either during a hand of cards. 

So which was which? Well, bourbon 1 was the Evan Williams 1783 and bourbon 2 was the Evan Williams Black Label. I found it a bit shocking that I found the "normal" one more to my liking, but that's why I taste blind: I don't want any preconceptions. And of course, if you haven't had them, try them out, you'll be out maybe $30 for the pair.