Day 7 - Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage 2012
- Paul Mora
- Dec 19, 2020
- 1 min read
Two sips in and this owns you. Before I knew anything about bourbon, I was introduced to Evan Williams.
How it came to me? Dunno. All I can say is that this bottle needs to be an automatic, just like ketchup and taxes.
It is bottled at 86.6 proof and is a mash of corn, rye and malted Barley. It is aged in oak for 7 to 8 years.
Again, before I knew anything, this one never let me down.
The nose is vanilla, caramel, oak and toasted marshmallows. The pallet is oak, cinnamon, and graham crackers. The finish lingers with a combination of pepper and sweet.
This is one of long-standing favorites. I hope you enjoy.
This is a new one for me. There was a kind of strong vapor on the nose with caramel and oranges. On the palate, I was tasting roasted grains. A bit of water just brought out the piquantness. Everyday bourbon? Only if you want diabetes. This one comes close.
Raquel: "I CAN SMELL THE MARSHMALLOWS!" Really, she was that excited about the nose on this one. And if you know my wife, you know it takes a lot for her to get excited about...anything. An original goth, if you can dig it. That shit is at a molecular level, so it's no "I just discovered Siouxsie And The Banshees" type of thing. No, she's a Goth at heart. So, here we are: Evan Williams as an Ambassador of Good Times between cultural movements. If that ain't just a little bit of what the world needs right now, I don't know what is.
And, btw, I've always loved Evan Williams. Just like Brother Paul. As a bourbon I can find…
This is a drinkable bourbon. I could easily polish off several of these, which makes it dangerous. Caramel, toffee and something close to cinnamon on the nose. Cocoa powder and a warm, oaky front on the palate. Smooth and easy.
As noted yesterday, we are doubling up tonight with yesterday's Jefferson 0cean and tonight's Evan Williams.
As also noted, my wife has a a much more refined olfactory sense than me, so I've delegated the nosing to her. Without prompting from Paul's description, she immediately picked up on the vanilla and caramel in the Jefferson. As far as the Williams, she dismissed it as turpentine. Pay her no mind. She doesn't drink the stuff.
I really enjoyed the Jefferson Ocean. Both neat and with a few drops. Perhaps it was simply the novelty of a bourbon that is unique. Perhaps because I simply enjoyed the salt caramel. I'll have to pick up a bottle to figure it out.
The Evan…
Nice length. I get a skosh of orange with the caramel. Definitely picked up some toasted or charred oak on the end of the nose. Really nice.