As we soldier on in 2015 (it’s already March!) Sour Mash Manifesto continues to take a look at value priced American Whiskey. A few readers provided a great reason (comments section) to take a look at Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch. While purchasing EW 1783 I also locked in on Old Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond (OHHBIB). Some of you may have seen my review a couple years back of Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond. You can check that one out here. Given that OHHBIB is from the same producer (Heaven Hill), and bottled at the same proof, it has some promise.
Before we tuck in here, let’s consider the fact that both of these bourbons are in the $12 range. You may even find them cheaper depending where you live. Price never factors in reviews on this website, but it always factors when determining the value proposition.
Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Bourbon, 43% abv (86 proof), $12/bottle
Color: Medium Amber
Nose: Caramel, vanilla, ripe orchard fruits (apple), cinnamon toast, a touch of flint and river rock earthiness. Moderate oak backbone.
Palate: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, baked apple, with bitter oak notes emerging mid palate.
Finish: Warm barrel spices and a long lingering finish.
Overall: Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch is an excellent whiskey. The wood influence is greater in comparison to Old Heaven Hill, but still a composed and balanced whiskey. It packs a good deal of depth and complexity of flavor at such a great price. We all win!
Sour Mash Manifesto Rating: 8.5 Excellent
Old Heaven Hill Bottled In Bond Bourbon , 50% abv (100 proof), $12/bottle
Color: Medium Amber
Nose: Vanilla, nougat, almond toffee, banana peel, and a twinge of sour mash. Candy shop aromas abound, but it’s still bright and lively.
Palate: Vanilla, caramel, and toffee up front, warming quickly with barrel spices. Some welcomed bitterness emerges late on the palate. With a splash of water, apple and banana notes are present. Very classic bourbon flavors and well balanced whiskey.
Finish: Bitter caramel, cinnamon and clove spices, some lingering fruit. Moderate length finish.
Overall: In a nutshell, Old Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond reminds me that there’s some tremendous bourbons available at incredible prices. This is right there with Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond and Old Barton Bottled in Bond in terms of quality and value. If you prefer something a little milder and less barrel influenced – you may even enjoy OHHBIB more than both. Excellent whiskey at $12. Again – we all win!
Sour Mash Manifesto Rating: 8.7 Excellent
Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch and Old Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond are two excellent whiskeys at exceptional prices. You cannot mistake the family resemblance between them, but each whiskey has a little different attitude. EW1783, while lower in proof, has a little more zip and spice, with OHHBIB a more balanced whiskey. Pick your poison, or just grab both for the price of one good bourbon these days.
Drink your bourbon!
