I Tried Four Evan Williams Bourbons Back to Back. My Favorite Happened to Be the Most Affordable

When I found myself in Louisville for a work trip, I was determined to take the golden opportunity to squeeze in some bourbon-fueled exploration while I was there. The Evan Williams Experience was just a short walk from my downtown hotel, and for just $20, I decided to give it a shot. I expected a decent tasting and tour, but I didn’t expect to walk away with a new go-to bourbon. I definitely didn’t expect my top choice to be the cheapest in the lineup either.

The tour guide, Grace, led my group into an immersive experience consisting of floor to ceiling screens that gave me the opportunity to learn about Kentucky’s first licensed distiller, Evan Williams.

As I journeyed back into bourbon’s history, the experience made me feel like I was stepping back in time. I had the chance to learn about how bourbon was made in the late 1700s versus how it's made today.

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Most of the Evan Williams portfolio is produced offsite, but the Square 6 line is made in an artisanal distillery located within the building. I saw firsthand where it's created and got to sample 125 proof new make spirit before it went into the barrel. The line is named after the plot of land where Evan Williams built the first commercial distillery in Kentucky in 1783. It was located on the exact same block where the Evan Williams Experience is today.

Although the tasting lineup varies, there were four great bourbons that were showcased on the day I visited.

I tried four expressions of Evan Williams back to back.

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Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage is a smooth 86.6 proof bourbon. It's bottled solely from one barrel that's hand-selected by master distillers. On the back of the bottle I saw the exact dates it was barreled and bottled, as well as the exact barrel number.

Evan Williams Master Blend is a 90-proof blend that combines Evan Williams 23-Year-Old, Evan Williams Single Barrel, Evan Williams 1783, Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond, and Evan Williams Black. It has a sweet taste with hints of honey, citrus, and butterscotch.

Square 6 High-Rye Bourbon is the finished result of the new make I tried during the tour. The 95-proof finished product had an earthy flavor with notes of cinnamon.

Evan Williams 12-Year-Old Red Label is an extra-aged line extension of Evan Williams Black. More years in the barrel gives this 101 proof bourbon a bold flavor with hints of brown sugar, vanilla, and licorice.

I enjoyed the diversity of the ones that I tried, but my clear favorite was Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon. It was smooth and balanced, and the sweet notes of honey and vanilla really stood out to me. Judging from its long list of awards, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this was my top pick.

One thing did surprise me though. The prices weren’t revealed until the end of the tasting. I was a shocked to find that of all of the ones I tried, the one I enjoyed most happened to be the cheapest. It sold for $55 at the gift shop, but I’ve found this for less at local liquor stores. The Evan Williams Master Blend and Square 6 High-Rye Bourbon were both priced at $80 per bottle, and the Evan Williams 12 Year had a $150 price tag. This was an eye-opening experience that proved to me it’s possible to find a good, quality bourbon at a value price.

At the end of my tasting experience, there was one more special treat. I sampled the rich, velvety deliciousness of a chocolate bourbon ball. That wasn’t the last bourbon ball that I devoured on that trip, but it was the best. I later found out from general manager Ashley Cuyjet-Fetter that there was a reason I found these to be the most delectable of all the bourbon balls I tried in Louisville. They're made with the same bourbon I had chosen as my favorite during the tasting: Single Barrel Vintage.

Related: I’ve Tried Hundreds of Whiskeys. This Tennessee Bourbon Is the Smoothest I've Ever Tasted

source https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/evan-williams-bourbon-experience-taste-test