The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B-
Evan Williams Small Batch
(Credit: Heaven Hill)
In May 2021, Heaven Hill repackaged and relaunched their Evan Williams Small Batch into the look you see on the left. They also brought the proof back up to its original level of 90, from the 86 proof it held in the interim.
Given that Heaven Hill continues to stand by the small batch concept, long after their peers have largely abandoned the concept in their marketing, this is a noteworthy reworking and push… although at the same time, the expression pushes the definition of “small batch” and gives much credence to its detractors: Heaven Hill indicated in the press release for the relaunch that the batch draws on fewer than 300 barrels. Most folks I’ve spoken to think of single or low double digit numbers when they think “small batch.”
Like Evan Williams, this is made from the Heaven Hill mash of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley (i.e. more barley than rye), but aged for approximately six to eight years. So, it is older and stronger than the standard Evan Williams Black Label.
The Bourbon
This bourbon has a mid-amber, pretty standard coloring, and sits right on the benchmark for bourbon qualities. The nose leads with a hefty dollop of brown sugar and vanilla, with light notes of marshmallow and leather. Sipping yields a flavor following right behind that profile, with the modest leathery note transitioning into oaky. The finish is sweet, light, brief and undistinguished.
It’s that last part, the finish, that really holds this expression back. It’s good bourbon, nothing remarkable in and of itself, but good nonetheless. The only bad thing I think should be said about it is that it really just doesn’t sit for a spell after you sip on it.
The Price
Against that comes the price, because the price point of $20 is very sweet, and all the more so because this is coming from Heaven Hill. This company catches a lot of flak for taking beloved and quite affordable expressions, repackaging them, tweaking the quality upwards a bit, and jacking up the price. The classic example of this was taking Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond, taking it from Kentucky-only to national while raising the age statement by a year, while also raising the price from $15 to $40 per bottle. Having something like this around for a mere $20 breaks that trend, and is like a throwback to the beginning of the century.
