Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon

Evan Williams Black Label – A Fourth of July Pour Appearance Rich, golden amber in the glass—vibrant and appealing, with sufficient body to confirm it's bourbon, not just colored water. Nose Sweet and familiar, reminiscent of simple syrup with a hint of vanilla. A delicate floral note is also present, soft and almost airy, hinting at the taste to come. Palate The initial taste is surprisingly sweet—light simple sugar and vanilla upfront. As it lingers, a subtle floral note emerges, smoothly transitioning to a clean fruitiness like fresh pear or crisp green apple. It's not overpowering or ostentatious—more like a quiet acknowledgment from a familiar acquaintance. Finish Longer than one might expect for its cost. Even after several minutes, the fruitiness persists, soft and refreshing, leaving a pleasant, slightly dry memory of orchard fruit. Overall Evan Williams Black Label is an unassuming pour that surpasses expectations. It doesn't aim to impress whiskey connoisseurs—it's suited for relaxed evenings, genuine conversations, and quiet background music. For less than $25 for a 1.75L bottle, it delivers exceptional value. --- A Toast to the Black Label by Sophie Golden bourbon, simple and sweet, Vanilla on the nose, soft floral beneath. A kiss of orchard—pear or apple— Lingering like a song that won’t quite settle. Here’s to easy evenings, Stars and stripes on glass, And the kind of whiskey That lets the world slow down at last.

A friend who bartends events on the side offered me an unopened handle of this poor quality liquor, saying "she knows I like whiskey". You know those moments when you know better? Like... you know you shouldn't consume this stuff.... but how can anyone refuse 1.75 L of free alcohol, even if it appears to be terrible? Even more so when the friend offering it to you is incredibly attractive? (Hey, what can I say? Sex sells.) It can't be THAT bad, right? The aroma is somewhat unusual. I detect caramel, apples, some peanuts and a little vanilla. The aroma is very subtle, so inhale deeply (if you actually want to smell it). The initial taste has a strange, powdery texture with vanilla, burnt oak, ethanol and rye. It hits all at once, so don't look too hard for complexity. The finish carries the rye spice and with it: drier notes like leather. It's a somewhat long-lasting, though very simple, finish. I don't know... for this price I expected to dislike it. But it's not undrinkable. I'd gladly accept a serving if I were already quite intoxicated and couldn't distinguish one flavor from another anyway. For this price, you can do a LOT worse.

EW black label and I have a history. For many years, it has been my budget bourbon of choice for several reasons, which I'll summarize briefly. 1) Let's be honest, it's cheap! In a time when bourbon prices are soaring, we can all appreciate the approximately $15 price tag on this bottle. It's very hard to find a better value for $15 or less than EW Black. 2) Is it the best tasting whiskey? Definitely not, and to be frank, it's not even a truly great whiskey, but that's beside the point. It serves as an excellent mixer at a fantastic price, and depending on your palate, it can be tolerated neat or on the rocks. Taste: Personally, I detect a very prominent spice flavor with subtle undertones of vanilla, nut, and oak. There's also a noticeable, but not overpowering, ethanol/alcohol presence. Conclusion: For its price, it's difficult to surpass; it's an ideal mixer and frankly, a reliable option if you're on a budget. You'll be disappointed if you compare it to $30-$50 whiskeys, but you won't be disappointed if you compare it to others in its price range.

This likely needs no introduction. If you appreciate bourbon and have been on a tight budget, you're acquainted with Mr. Evan Williams. If not, this is Heaven Hill's extremely affordable option. Let's dive in. Nose: Stale corn and wood shavings. Vanilla. Pungent spice. Wood, clove, and nutmeg. Scorched barrel and smoking pipe. Dried apricot. Palate: Caramel and brown sugar. Vanilla/vanilla frosting. Stale corn and wood shavings. Very strong wood presence. White and black pepper. Clove and nutmeg. Cocoa. A hint of gala apple. Cotton candy. Finish: Some almond. Clove, nutmeg, white pepper. Brown sugar, caramel, and fudge. Wood and black pepper. Smoking pipe and cocoa. Medium-short duration, leaning towards short. Quite acceptable for a bottom-shelf, entry-level mixer whiskey. It's not what I'd call bold, but it's also a fairly clean pour with nothing unpleasant to note. Great value for the money at $19. A score of 3.5 out of 5.

Nose: Abundant brown sugar, fresh caramel, caramel-covered red candy apples, freshly ground cinnamon, banana, smoky barrel char, cajeta, cinnamon red hots, reduced apple cider with honey and cinnamon, fresh new wood, dried apricots, sweet wood char, some molasses, some mild rye bread with raisins and cinnamon, some perfumed wood essence, almonds, a faint hint of star anise, peanuts, candy corn, creamed corn, sweet corn, sweet tea aged in sweet wood. Palate: Buttery and sweet pancakes with syrup, sweet toasted wood, brown sugar and cinnamon dusted toast with margarine, some herbaceous rye notes, slight peach hint, bittersweet herbal notes, green bell pepper, a hint of black pepper, fresh caramel. Finish: Sweet tea, fresh wood, creme brûlée, caramel candy apples, red apple skins, bittersweet wood spice, sweet cream.

My notes from last time I sampled this were not detailed. I recall oak notes and some caramel on the palate. I tried this a few months back and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it. My earlier experience with this about five years ago was inconsistent. At times it was fine, and at other times it was somewhat bitter. My palate was certainly less developed then. Would I make a special effort to buy this? Likely not. For a casual weeknight drink, I favor Jim Beam White Label. Would I drink this if offered? Absolutely.