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A Tale of Three Whiskeys

One of my favorite whiskies is Evan Williams Single Barrel. It’s a great bargain and a good bourbon. So, only having tried the EW green label in the past, I thought I might stack up the single barrel against some of the other EW labels. So, here we go…

Evan Williams Single Barrel

Evan William Single Barrle

86 proof, 7-8 years old

Aroma: smoky and woodsy
Taste: Single Barrel is smooth and lightly sweet with a hint of vanilla. a spicy note from the high rye content. It has a nice mouth feel, especially with an ice cube or a bit of water.

This is one of my favorite sipping whiskeys and can be found for under $30 if you look for it. I see it any where from $26-$30 in my area. As I’ve noted before, I like a high rye bourbon and EW Single Barrel doesn’t disappoint. Just the right amount of a peppery spice note keeps it interesting. It make a fabulous Manhattan.

Evan Williams Black Label

Aroma: Immediately you get the alcohol in your nose
First sip – neat: It’s definitely EW, the rye spicy note is there, a bit of caramel and vanilla. somewhat hotter than single barrel, but that’s to be expected from an 86 proof, probably 4-5 year old whiskey that only costs $12, I wasn’t expecting it to be Pappy.

2nd sip: Added a single small ice cube that sat for a few minutes
The aroma is still the same, but the taste is a tiny bit more mellow, if sipping this one, it’s definitely the way to go. I’d be more inclined to use this for cocktails though. Adding a couple more cubes to cool it down, smoothed it out even more, but there is still a bit of a bite at the end.

It makes a passable Manhattan, if in a pinch, but the hotness comes through in a big way. I expected the vermouth to tone it down a bit, but it really doesn’t.

Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch

86 proof, all EW says is that it’s “extra aged”, whatever that means, and claims it’s pulled from less than 200 barrels

Aroma: pleasant aroma, kind of a sweet woodsy smell
First sip, neat: Considerably smoother than the black label, but still a bit hotter than the Single Barrel. Nice spice notes.
2nd sip, single ice cube: Interesting that it tastes hotter with an ice cube than without.
3rd sip, more ice: smoothed it out a bit, vanilla pops out now.

Here’s my thoughts on 1783. It doesn’t seem to be a that much of a departure from the Black Label for a doubling in price. If I’m going to spend $24 (what I found it for) on 1783, I’d rather spend a couple more bucks and get the Single Barrel, it’s a much more enjoyable bourbon.

I just didn’t enjoy it in a Manhattan. It was off tasting for some reason.

The Verdict

And here’s what I think overall. Hands down, I’ll spend the money on Single Barrel, if I’m wanting a sipping whiskey. Nether of the other two were horrible, but there’s better whiskeys at the 1783 price point. But, if you’re making whiskey cocktails, the Black Label is a definite bargain.

Heaven Hill Distillery, one of my favorite distilleries, makes Evan Williams whiskeys. They also make Elijah Craig, which is another tremendous sub $30 whiskey.

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Favorite Whiskey Cocktails

I love a good whiskey cocktail and prefer the classics: Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Sazerac, Boulevardier and the occasional sour. But my favorite, easily is the Manhattan. I’ve had, and made them with both rye and bourbon. Hands down, the way to go on any of these is to use a good rye. And currently, my rye of choice is Old Overholdt.

Old Overholt

Old Overholt is another one of those diamond in the rough finds. Smooth and spicy and very reasonably priced. Can easily find this for under $20. I think the last bottle I purchased cost me $16.

I rarely drink rye straight, but Overholt is smooth and balanced enough that I don’t mind a sip now and then. You’ll notice a different aroma from bourbon right off the bat, not near as smokey or woody as bourbon can be.

On the palette, the first thing I notice is that rye isn’t as like bourbon. You immediately get a spicy, peppery hit that follows all the way to the end. And this is what makes it a must in a Manhattan. That spicy note takes a cocktail from hohum to the next level.

Manhattan Cocktail

My sweet vermouth of choice is made by Gallo. The ratio I use is 2 to 1 rye to vermouth. Add 2-3 dashes bitters of choice. A maraschino cherry and a bit of juice. The top it off with a twist of orange or lemon peel – it’s a great refreshing cocktail.

I plan to try some other rye brands in the future, but for now, Old Overholt will do. I also would like to experiment with other bitters and vermouths. The offerings for those around here are slim, I think I can count the vermouths I can find on one hand with a wide ranging price. Other bitters I’ll have to order online most likely.

You can’t go wrong with Old Overholt, it’s a reasonably priced smooth and spicy rye. It would be a great choice to try if you’ve never ventured into ryes before. And if you haven’t tried many whiskey cocktails beyond a sour or a whiskey and coke, expand your horizons with a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned. You don’t have to spend a lot to get the ingredients and they’re just flat out delicious.

After you’ve played around with those two, then move on to the Boulevardier or the Sazerac. The ingredients cost a bit more, but they’re next level cocktails. Look them up at your local speakeasy.