Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond Bourbon

BUDGET BOTTLED-IN-BOND BOURBON SHOWDOWN Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond Old Tub Bottled-In-Bond Wild Turkey 101 Okay, I know that the WT101 isn’t bottled-in-bond; but it is budget, and it is bourbon, and it’s only 1 proof point above the other two, so that’s close enough for me (even if it is a bit older). I thought that a side-by-side comparison between the three would be interesting. Also, it’s college football Saturday, and this is a little pregame activity. Evan Williams Bottled-In Bond I’ve never had this bourbon, which is a Heaven Hill brand. Clear Pantone 138 in color (I have no affiliation with Pantone, but am using it in an attempt to achieve a little more visual precision). Sweet nose reveals an initial hit of tangy barbecue sauce, with orange, caramel, and vanilla. The palate is robust: great depth of flavor with sweet corn, simple syrup, and peppercorn spice, with a pleasant ethanol burn. The medium-length finish is primarily sweet, oaky vanilla. No hard edges or bitterness. This is flat-out delicious. Great aromatics and depth of flavor, and the BiB designation is wonderfully apparent. This Evan Williams expression qualifies as a great sipper neat, and at 100 proof would be great in cocktails as well, without breaking the bank. At just a tick over $20, the value here is amazing. I cannot believe that this is the first time I’ve tried this bourbon, but it definitely won’t be the last, and I’ll always have one on hand. Easy 4.0 on the Distiller scale. Old Tub Bottled-In-Bond Old Tub is a Jim Beam brand, and this is also my first experience with it. Clear Pantone 144 in color. Fruity nose, much different than the EW: pomander, apple pie, caramel, and vanilla. Palate is no wallflower, with sweet mulled cider and cigar notes. Cinnamon finish, with a little vanilla, short to medium in length. The ethanol is there, as it should be, but at an appropriate level corresponding to the flavor intensity. I’m similarly pleased that I’ve tried Old Tub. Like the EW, this could function as a sipper, on the rocks, or a cocktail base, given the 100 proof. It’s also around $20, and as such represents a great value. Not quite the experience for me as was the EW, but I’ll always have one of these on hand as well. 3.5 on the Distiller scale. Wild Turkey 101 Wild Turkey 101 is, of course, a Wild Turkey brand, and I’ve had it many times. Clear Pantone 138. The nose is focused more on caramel and vanilla, far more than the EW and OT, with banana bread and a splash of orange. The classic WT high-rye spice is immediately apparent on the palate: there’s a light viscosity—more than the EW and OT—likely the result of longer barrel aging. It finishes medium to long, with vanilla and cinnamon. Wild Turkey 101 is a must-have for me; I’ve never had any WT product that I didn’t like. They have a distinct house style, with a single mashbill for their bourbons. It retails for $1-2 more than the EW or OT, but likely has more age as well. Outstanding. 4.0 on the Distiller scale. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Distillery: Heaven Hill Brand: Evan Williams Region: Kentucky, USA Proof: 100 | 50% ALC/VOL MSRP Range: $17 - $22 Mash Bill: Corn - 78% | Rye - 10% | Malted Barley - 12% Color: Brighter than you'd think for a bonded whiskey; 'Honeycomb Gold' Personal Takeaway: This gives BBBIIIIIGGGGG "house wine" of bourbon vibes and that kind of feels generous, but alas... it's mainly talked about for the price. Not something I'll seek out or really even recommend other than to a college kid on a tight budget that wants to get into whiskey. Maybe. On The Nose: Very vanilla forward and syrupy; it coats the glass well and you get a very prominent baking spice vibe right away, perhaps maybe even reminiscent of gingerbread to some. The longer you smell it you get some caramel undertones, but it's definitely not overpowering by any means. As the oak subsides, you do get a hint of some peppery spice on the backend. It's smoother, especially for being a higher proof... but pretty dry, not the sweet and dare I say... basic? Parading The Palate: It's nickname should be the fast flat whiskey. Seriously, the sweetness dies pretty quickly and the woody oak notes come through right away. It's actually a lot drier than one the think the more it sits. As It Finishes: There's almost zero sweetness and as the dryness sets in, it almost tastes like what I imagine a mouthful of sawdust would taste like. Perhaps maybe there is a slightly nuttyness, but I can't help but only taste the oakiness a ton. It's almost the only prevalent flavor after the dryness subsides since the sweetness died long ago. In summation, for as much as this is talked about as such a 'fantastic value', I think that's slightly overrated. I was able to purchase a bottle Old Forester 86 for the exact same price ($18.99 + tax) and would even pay up to $5 more for that bottle over this one even if it were $5 cheaper than what I paid for it.

To prepare for a house crawl, I created a, mixer that was bourbon based. The question as to what bourbon that would be: it needed to be affordable, hold up to mixing and have decent flavor. This seemed to fit that bill (based upon reviews for good mixing bourbons). However, how does this taste as a stand alone? N: Sugary vanilla pudding aromas. Caramel with baking spices of cinnamon. Oak wood encased initially which weakens in time leaves the sweet custardy aroma. P: Wood, oak and spice fills the palate. Slight sweetness passes through, briefly. Almonds, toasted marshmallow add to the oaken spiciness. White and black pepper comes forward and more dominate towards the finish. F: The tongue tingles as it finishes. And it tingles for some time. White pepper, caramel which rides the woody dryness for a good length. O: This is surprisingly a good budget whiskey. It has a decent aroma with muscular flavor for what it holds. As a sipper, it can hold its own. But where it would work best is as a mixer. The punch holds allows it to stay strong no matter what is thrown in it. [$33/1.75][84/100][Tasted: 3/15/24]

Oooh, I like this one! I read in a few places about the banana bread notes some folks have gotten in EW BiB, and I knew that I had to try this as banana bread is my favorite whisk(e)y note. I poured this into a shot glass neat and let it sit for 10 minutes. My olfactory senses were more than satisfied with Evan Williams White Label BiB. I got caramel, nuts, and banana bread on the nose. The banana bread shines on the palate. There is minimal burn. The finish is quite lengthy, and it's nice and warm with some vanilla coming through and the banana bread note sticking around as well. And what a great value too!

NEAT NOSE - Caramel, Vanilla, and Oak PALATE - The palate follows the nose. Unfortunately, as soon as the flavors hit the palate, they dissapear almost immediately. This is this bourbon’s biggest flaw, but for it’s price its a good bourbon with quintessential notes. The finish is just non-existent. Mildly sweet. FINISH - Painfully short. BUY? - It’s a great bottle for the price, but it’s nothing special. I’d get a bottle atleast once to see if it’s a one time thing or a mainstay for you and your bar/collection. BUY AGAIN? - Probably not. The finish is too short for me on this one.

Finally bought this bottle after hearing and reading a lot about it…. Its also $18.99 and always on the shelf. Zero regrets this is delicious. Tried neat. On the nares its sweet with notes of caramel, vanilla, sugar, wood,toffee, cherry vanilla cola or dr pepper. On the palate its sweet and smooth with botes of white pepper, almonds, caramel, and also cherry cola. I will be rebuying this snd keep it on the bar. @Looneyhead