Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage 2015

Barreled 1/6/2015 Barrel #350 Bottled 2/15/2024 First off, I want to say how very stoked I was to learn, a few weeks back, that EW SiB was returning to store shelves and no longer restricted to distillery-only availability. A couple years ago, I was able to grab some final stock of the 2013 bottling. I loved it, and lamented its farewell to my liquor cabinet. Color: Medium Copper-Amber Nose: Molasses, vanilla, oak, slight nostril burn/tingle. Palate: (First pour drank neat) Medium mouthfeel — slightly "syrupy" and very smooth; mild chest hug ensues; has a nice balance of spicy and sweet; slightly understated flavor profile, but plenty enough going on to make it a very enjoyable relatively low proof sipper. Getting some nice oak char on the back end after swooshing it around... (Second pour drank with an ice cube) Similar initial experience as the neat pour. But I like to see what happens as the ice melts. The ice may have brought out some more sweetness — tempered the spiciness a bit... and it also brought out some licorice (anise?) at the back of the tongue. Very nice! Finish: Medium with a slight hint of citrus being revealed at the back of the tongue... and, as I just stated, add licorice to the finish with ice. Final thoughts: As I was saying, the recent availability of this EW offering really made my year — and it was only April! I've had some higher-proof pours this past weekend, and you can really tell the difference in complexity between an 86 proof vs. a 130 proof (!). But so what? This is an absolute fave of mine. Top-notch Kentucky Bourbon... and at under $30, it's that much better.

Nose: Brown sugar, browned butter, toasted oak, citrus (probably orange), maple and baking spices. Palate: Slightly viscous with caramel, oak, baking spices, brown sugar, hints of orange marmalade and a faint nuttiness. Finish: A bit of smouldering oak, toasted brown sugar, baking spices, and bitter walnut.

Barreled on 1-6-15 Barrel No. 400 Bottled on 2-28-24 Decent flavor, drinks like the low proof that it is.