Head-to-Head Review: Evan Williams Black Label vs. Bottled-in-Bond
Over the weekend Matt Daugherty posted about “that cheap bottle you absolutely love.” My response was Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, which has been my go to house mixer. Gary Stone came in to say he preferred the Black Label for every day mixing which made me remember I’d still never tried the Black Label, so I decided to put them head-to-head. Thanks to Matt and Gary for inspiring this one.
Evan Williams Black Label
Non-age stated and bottled at 86 proof. As a non-age stated straight bourbon, this bottling should be at least four years old, although the website says “aged far longer than required by law.”
Nose: The nose is very light, but pleasant. It’s primarily dried wood and hay with a bit of peanut shell lingering beneath.
Palate: Soft and buttery, the palate leads with vanilla cream, caramel chew, and a soft oak. It’s classic and unremarkable.
Finish: The finish has a pleasant amount of heat that fades quickly. There’s more flavor on the finish with a touch of black pepper, nondescript oak, and a bit of nutmeg.
This is about as close to tasting “just like bourbon” as anything could come. The nose leaves me wanting, but the butteriness of the palate honestly delivers more than I expected at this price point. The finish is the most pleasant part of this whiskey but it’s fleeting. Other than the finish, there’s no heat on this whiskey, it’s smooth, sweet, and dangerously easy to sip. I don’t think the standard Elijah Craig is much better than this, honestly, and I find it a bit more thin. Notably, there are no off-notes or youthful notes; this is just plain Kentucky bourbon.
5/10 on the T8ke Scale.
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Aged at least four years and bottled at 100 proof, this whiskey is the product of a single distillery within a single distillation season.
Nose: The aromas in the glass are fairly thick with a nice hefty oak, bubblegum, and a bit of a pine forest scent. Not complex or impressive, but the aromas are there and pleasant.
Palate: Sweet, as soon as it hit my tongue I recognized the sweetness I’ve come to associate with the White Label. A gooey caramel and vanilla dominate the palate with a touch of toffee, cinnamon, and oak.
Finish: The finish is very nutty and lingers notably longer than the Black Label. After the peanuts, walnuts, and pecans subside there’s a lingering vanilla and light charred oak flavor. Over time a bit of dried oak and leather enter the mix. The proof is more noticeable on the White Label but there’s less heat.
The Bottled-in-Bond has more character than the Black Label — there’s a notable sweetness sets it apart from generic bourbon. While the flavor profile doesn’t deviate an iota from classic Kentucky bourbon, it is distinguishable. It’s hard to say whether that extra flavor and sweetness comes from additional age, blending, or exclusively proof. While I wouldn’t complain if either of these were the only bourbon option somewhere, given the choice, I’d sip on the White Label.
5/10 on the T8ke Scale.
Final Thoughts
You can’t go wrong with either of these bourbons; if you want plain Kentucky column still whiskey, these deliver with no drawbacks or off notes at an impressive value. Currently at Fine Wine & Good Spirits, the Black Label will set you back 16 and the Bottled-in-Bond 20 (for a 750 mL). For sipping, the Bottled-in-Bond is definitely worth the extra 4. Once you start drinking the White Label you can’t really move backward. The Black Label falls flat and any complexity in the notes are reduced to corn water with a touch of caramel and oak.
That said, there’s nothing wrong with the Black Label and I’d still be happy to sip on it neat if I’m out with friends or need to bring a bottle that I don’t care what happens to it. Next on my agenda is to test Gary’s claim that the Black Label is the superior mixer — old fashioneds and whiskey sours coming up!
