Bourbon

Evan Williams Single Barrel (Vintage 2004) Review

Evan Williams SB

This bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel was a birthday gift from my dad.  He seems to have an eye for great bourbon.  Heaven Hill’s Evan Williams Single Barrel is the only vintage-dated single barrel bourbon available.  This review is of a 2004 vintage (barrel 1323), barreled on 1-21-04 and bottled on 10-13-14, making the bourbon 3 months shy of 11 years old.  To my knowledge, most barrels in this line average about 10 years old.  It comes in at a very sippable 86.6 proof.  So how is it? (more…)

Behind the Scenes at Heaven Hill
Heaven Hill's warehouses.

Heaven Hill’s warehouses.

On an especially cold late-March morning, I pulled up to the parking lot of Heaven Hill’s Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown, KY.  This was my first time in bluegrass state.  I took in the sights and sounds of the crisp morning before I walked into the Heritage Center.  Josh Hafer of Heaven Hill graciously invited me to tour the facilities there, which include their warehouses, bottling plant, and aforementioned Bourbon Heritage Center.  I had a feeling this was going to be an unforgettable morning. (more…)

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Whiskey Review

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Woodford Reserve was the first premium bourbon I really enjoyed when I “graduated” from Jack Daniel’s.  I later learned Woodford Reserve is from the same family: Brown-Forman.  Brown-Forman owns Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve and Old Forester.  Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Old Forester bourbon have been around forever, whereas Woodford Reserve came to market in the mid-1990s.

The minimalist bottle is easy to find on the shelves.  Master Distiller Chris Morris even gives us a batch and bottle number on the small tan label.  The ‘Labrot & Graham’ etched above the ‘Woodford Reserve’ on the bottle is the name the distillery was formerly known as many many years ago.

Coming in at 90.4 proof, Woodford Reserve has high rye content.  It’s evident on the nose, along with vanilla, toffee and caramel.  I get some of that rye spice on the palate.  There’s also caramel, maple syrup, cinnamon and light char.  The char comes on the back end.  The finish is medium and sweet.  Woodford Reserve has a lighter body than I’d like, but it carries an overall nice flavor.

I almost always have a bottle of Woodford Reserve on hand.  It’s nice neat, on the rocks and in an old-fashioned.  The brand promotes a Manhattan cocktail made with Woodford Reserve.  I haven’t tried it yet, so I can’t comment.  The old-fashioned cocktail I’ve made many times with this bourbon is quite tasty.  For $30+ a bottle, I’d recommend picking one up.  Keep an eye out for a limited edition bottle design close to the Kentucky Derby.

7.5/10