Evan Williams is name well known to bourbon lovers. It's a big seller (second I think in the US) which is a LOT of bourbon - and like all big producers offer a wide selection of products including:
- Evan Williams Green Label, 80 proof
Evan Williams White Label, 100 proof (bottled in bond)
Evan Williams Black Label, 86 proof
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage, 86.6 proof
Evan Williams 1783, 86 proof
Evan Williams Red Label, 101 proof
Evan Williams Blue Label, 107 proof
Although the bourbon heads do love their tipple, they seem to be especially influenced by price and proof. Though some water their bourbon, there's a sense of good old boy, I can handle that 114 thinking. Bourbon heads are drinkers, not sippers. Another issue is that despite the fact that bourbon has been among the most honest and pure brown spririts for centuries - a fact which spoiled the bourbon drinkers - in their naivety they have fallen prey to the notion that somehow an illegal dunk in ex-sherry barrels somehow implies a premium experience.
Of course, it does not. Enter a remarkable bourbon called EW "1783" - with the 1783 marketing hook based on their founding, like Mount Gay's 1703. Pure marketing of course. Better yet for Project readers is it's price - down in the $10 range. This is reminiscent of some (actually most) of the Seale's offerings like the Doorlys, with even his magnificent 10 year now down to just $21 for a world class rum.
In our ongoing quest to find top performing spirits at reasonable prices, the Evan Williams 1783 made itself known first by Cowdery who called "perhaps the best value in bourbon" and no less that F. Paul who gave this low shelf product an amazing 5 stars for a number of reasons: first, it's shocking age of 10 years. His restated comments:
"...brilliant, the color of new honey... opening is fruity/floral, banana, muted rose petals, fields, and marzipan. (After 7 minutes) adding ...deeper more fundamental aromas of oaky vanillan, brown butter, fried pork rind, and buttered sweet corn. An amazing bouquet... stately and understated with a semi-sweet, oaky, honeyed developing into toffee and light caramel, as well as a gentle bite but balance by the vanilla bean, honey and wood, and merging with the caramel/toffee element. Finish is light, off-dry, and regal. I'm shocked... an American beauty."
To be fair the 1783 did not make his 111 Top Spirits (of all kinds) list, but I'll be it was pretty damn close. Jim Murray had nice things to say as well. At Total Wine just $11, and with reviews like this a no-brainer.
A Pre-review:
To be honest, my first dram of the Evan Williams 1783 was a turn-off, almost completely. I found overpowering sour leather wood, surprisingly single minded. It was harsh! And to the point I wondered whether this was the same spirit, or had I lost my marbles? How could the 1783 have gotten such glowing reports?! Still, I have enough faith in these particular experts, that I decided the problem was me, and became determined that I must, must, must come to an understanding of just why the 1783 earned this accolades. Consider it a step in understanding what is still a new spirit. But I was not about to allow a single dram define the effort, so the next day during my prime time early morning tasting time, tried again, and this time?
Completely different. I'd forgotten our own repeated advice that no spirit can be judged before it reaches the shoulders of the bottle. Newly opened spirits really do need to breathe and have the opportunity to air off the typically harsh effects. What a difference. Now I picked up the fruit, the vanillan, the floral, the honey - but - well balanced by the dry oaky leather. An honest green edge of leather (10 years is a WELL aged bourbon after all). Now the balance and integration, and the complexity became apparent.
Add a pipe...
Although the preceeding is not our review - as always I defer to Sue Sea's amazing palate for that - it just seemed entirely appropriate to light up a bowl of Navy Flake in my Ralfy's recommended Falcon. The two went together like priests and choirboys, lol. Seriously, a completely pleasant and relaxing experience designed to keep our facked up world at bay for a brief hour or so.
But I will share my current impressions, which I'll sum up in remarkable complexity and balance, balance, balance. Sweet/heat. Sweet/dry.The 1793 is not hollow, there is no dominant element, and its quite complex enough - not only with the mash bill and distilling, but the 10 years in wood cannnot be ignored. How this can be sold for $10 or $11 is beyond me.
Stay tuned for the real review, Sue Sea, where are you?
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Note to da'rum: I was enjoying the 1783 (and Navy Flake) in my Falcon - perfect - then on a whim decided to also try a first smoke in my restored Savinelli Fiamata, a true work of art, but this time with Carter Hall, a great break-in tobacco for new/refurbished pipes, burley-based (which has that toasty sensation). As much as I didn't much "get" the Navy Flake, I do now. The Carter Hall is nice, gentle, easy smoking but not particularly distinctive - no doubt why the CH is the daily smoker for so many, but in comparison? No contest.