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      Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

      By BillNovember 30, 20210
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    Bourbon

    Evan Williams Barrel Proof Bourbon Review

    BillBy BillMay 4, 2014Updated:January 22, 20188 Comments4 Mins Read

    Evan Williams Barrel Proof

    91 Unique

    It is at once complex in flavor but has a single, overarching alcohol theme. However, for the bourbon lover, the aromas and complex flavors of this bourbon are just too enticing to ignore.

    [amazon_link asins=’B00H143UXW,B06Y1VGMH2′ template=’MT-product-carousel’ store=’modernthirstc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’89cd9de4-ff80-11e7-ad0b-b3d612b3a656′]

    Vital Stats:

    Evan Williams Barrel Proof 91/100
    Evan Williams Barrel Proof 91/100
    • Age: 7 Years
    • ABV: 62.5% (125 Proof)
    • Distillery: Evan Williams/Heaven Hill
    • Availability: Very Limited/Rare
    • Price: $100

    What It Is:

    Located in downtown Louisville, KY, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience (read more about Modern Thirst’s visit, with photos, here) offers visitors an immersive bourbon experience in a shortened format.  Over the course of about an hour, visitors tour a heritage display along with a working micro distillery.  The end of the tour culminates with a visit to the gift shop, which includes the opportunity to buy many of the Evan Williams/Heaven Hill products made at the nearby Bernheim Distillery.  Lucky for visitors, one of those products is a ceramic jug of barrel-proof Evan Williams bourbon available only at the Bourbon Experience and the Bardstown, KY Bourbon Heritage Center.

    Aged 7 years, this is 125 Proof (62.5% ABV) Evan Williams Bourbon.  At $100, it isn’t cheap.  But it’s unique, and I couldn’t resist.  Note:  While the bottle says “Barrel Proof,” this is actually mixed specifically to 125 to be Barrel Proof Style.

    Packaging:

    Packaged in a ceramic jug with cork topper, the distillery claims the packaging hearkens back to the original vessels farmers used to purchase bourbon in the late 18th century when Evan Williams was actually distilling his own bourbon. This is a unique and attractive package sure to draw attention to itself on your shelf.

    Evan Williams Barrel Proof 5Appearance:

    Deep mahogany.

    Aroma:

    Huge notes of caramel and brown sugar up front with a massive alcohol draft on the back.  It will draw you in with the deep, rich sweetness, and then punch you squarely in the face with heavy alcohol. It’s at once alluring and a little bit scary.

    Taste:

    The front of the tongue gets that caramel flavor instantly.  It follows up with some oak and tannin, and more sweetness like butterscotch, but the intense and nearly overpowering alcohol burn does not relent.

    Finish:

    One of the longer finishes I’ve experienced, this is the Energizer Bunny of bourbons; it just keeps going and going.  There is a really attractive cinnamon and brown sugar hint that reminds one of cinnamon toast.  Nevertheless, the alcohol burn remains prevalent throughout the finish, and long after the swallow.

    Synopsis:

    This is the tale of two bourbons.  On one hand, there is a phenomenal depth of flavor with this spirit.  On the other, it drinks as powerfully as any bourbon I’ve sampled, including some powerhouses like George T. Stagg with a much higher ABV.  I have a distinct feeling that 10 or more years in the barrel, rather than 7, would have made this an instant classic had it served to tame that alcohol burn just a bit.

    In an effort to rein that in, I did try adding distilled water.  Surprisingly, it had very little effect on either the burn or the flavor.  So the ideal way to drink this is very likely over an ice sphere or maybe with crushed ice.

    But don’t be scared away.  There are some outstanding flavors in this bourbon that make it worth a drink even with the somewhat steep price tag and the strong alcohol characteristics.  Given the price of other limited release offerings at the Bourbon Experience gift shop, some of which range upwards of $400 a bottle, this little gem might be the best value available, even at $100.   If you have the good fortune to tour either the Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown or the Evan Williams Bourbon experience in Louisville (and let’s be honest, you really should), this is the spirit to get in the gift shop.  If you’re searching for an everyday drinker, this is probably a bit too pricey and a bit too powerful for most casual drinkers.  It is at once complex in flavor but has a single, overarching alcohol theme.  However, for the bourbon lover, the aromas and complex flavors of this bourbon are just too enticing to ignore.  Cut it if you must, but don’t miss a chance to try it.

    ModernThirst.com Score: 91 out of 100 Points.

     

    Evan Williams Barrel Proof 91/100

     

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    Bill is the Co-Founder, Editor-in Chief, and official Bourbon-o-Phile for ModernThirst.com, and Founder and Chief Blending Officer for Four Gate Whiskey Company. He is a native of Louisville, KY in the heart of Bourbon Country. He attended the University of Kentucky in the mid to late 1990s. He has also been published on Liquor.com. He has conducted various bourbon and whiskey tastings in cities across the country, and consulted for multiple national labels. He is married with two daughters, and lives in east Louisville. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at Bill@ModernThirst.com.

    Related Posts

    Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

    November 30, 2021

    Old Forester 21st Release of Annual Birthday Bourbon

    August 24, 2021

    Press Release: Old Forester’s Next Release in the 117 Series Features a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K 

    August 20, 2021

    8 Comments

    1. Bill on April 16, 2014 9:54 am

      I may revisit this bourbon in the near future. I may have been to harsh on the heat. The more I think about it, the more I loved the aroma and flavor. Very very rich.

      Reply
      • Liquid Corn on April 22, 2014 4:05 pm

        Can you get this anywhere other than those two locations?

        Reply
        • Bill on April 22, 2014 4:07 pm

          Unfortuantely not. I was told at the distillery that they were exclusive to the Bourbon Experience in downtown Louisville and the Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown.

          I also think that when I revisit this, it will get a higher rating. The heat was a bit much at first, but the more I drink it, the more I like it. And on the rocks, it’s downright tasty.

          Reply
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