Evan Williams whiskey: which bottle to buy

Evan Williams is a Kentucky straight bourbon, and CBC Liquors in Westford has four bottlings in stock: Black Label, Bottled in Bond, 1783 Small Batch and Single Barrel. Start at our Evan Williams page to see them together, then read on to pick the one that suits how you drink.

What Evan Williams bottles does CBC Liquors carry?

We carry four Evan Williams bourbons at our shop on Littleton Rd in Westford. They are Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon, Evan Williams Bottled In Bond, Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch and Evan Williams Single Barrel.

All four are bourbon, so they share a base of corn, new charred oak and a Kentucky distilling tradition. What separates them is proof, how the whiskey is selected and blended, and what the label promises about age and origin.

If you are searching for Evan Williams whiskey because you saw the name on a back bar or in a recipe, Black Label is the bottle that most often appears in that setting. If you want to compare, the other three give you a clear step up in either strength or selection.

What is Evan Williams whiskey, exactly?

Evan Williams is a bourbon brand made by Heaven Hill in Kentucky. The name is credited to a Louisville distiller who is said to have started distilling there in 1783, which is why that year appears on one of the labels.

To be called bourbon, a whiskey made in the United States has to be made from a grain mix that is at least 51 percent corn, aged in new charred oak containers, and bottled at no less than 80 proof. Nothing can be added to it except water to adjust the proof. Straight bourbon has also spent at least two years in the barrel.

That is why bourbon tastes the way it does: the corn gives sweetness, and the new charred oak adds vanilla, caramel and toasted wood. The mash bill's remaining grains, usually rye and malted barley, add spice and body. You can browse the wider bourbon section to see how Evan Williams sits next to other makers.

How does Black Label differ from Bottled in Bond?

Black Label is the everyday bottling. It is bottled at 86 proof, which is 43 percent alcohol by volume, and it is built to be easy to sip, mix or pour over ice. Expect vanilla, caramel and a little baking spice.

Bottled in Bond is a different kind of label, and it comes from a law. The Bottled in Bond Act of 1897 set rules that still apply: the whiskey must come from one distilling season and one distillery, spend at least four years in a bonded warehouse, and be bottled at exactly 100 proof. A bottle that carries those words has met all of them.

In the glass, the higher proof makes Bottled in Bond feel fuller and spicier. It holds up in a cocktail where a lower-proof bourbon might fade, and it is worth trying neat next to Black Label if you want to taste what the extra 14 proof does.

What are 1783 Small Batch and Single Barrel?

Both are labels for readers who want to taste a more selected version of the same brand, and both sit at the same 86-ish proof level as Black Label, so the difference is in selection rather than strength.

1783 Small Batch is a blend drawn from a limited number of barrels rather than a large run. Small batch has no legal definition, so it is a description of the approach, not a guarantee of a number. It tends to read as a little rounder than Black Label.

Single Barrel comes from one barrel per bottling, which means each release can vary slightly from the last. The label carries a barrel and bottling date, so you can see when it was put in the bottle. If you like to compare bottles from one maker, Single Barrel is the one to reach for.

How should you drink Evan Williams?

Start neat or with one large ice cube, and give the glass a minute to open up. A few drops of water can soften the alcohol and bring out the sweeter notes, which is useful with the 100 proof Bottled in Bond.

Bourbon is also the base of several classics. An old fashioned needs only whiskey, sugar, bitters and an orange peel. A whiskey sour is whiskey, lemon and a little sweetener. A highball is simply bourbon and a long mixer over ice. For a simple mixed drink, see what is in our mixers section and pick something that suits the way you like it.

Whichever way you go, pour sensibly and pace yourself. Bourbon is made to be sipped, and the better bottles reward slow tasting.

How does Evan Williams compare with other whiskey styles?

Bourbon sits inside the larger whiskey family, and the style differences are easy to follow once you know the rules. Bourbon is corn-led and sweet. Rye uses at least 51 percent rye grain and tastes drier and spicier. Scotch comes from Scotland and often carries malt, smoke or peat. Irish whiskey is typically lighter and smoother.

If Evan Williams suits you and you want to explore, a rye is the natural next step because it is made with the same method but a different grain. If you prefer something sweeter, move up through the bottlings above before changing styles.

Ask at the counter if you would like to compare two bottles side by side. We can point you toward the section that fits.

Can you pick up or have Evan Williams delivered near Westford?

You can walk in at 142 Littleton Rd in Westford, MA 01886. We are open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Pickup runs on the same hours as the shop.

We also deliver. Delivery hours are Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. Our delivery areas page lists where we go, including Chelmsford, Acton, Littleton and Lowell.

If you are planning a gathering and want a few bottles for it, the party planner page is the place to start.