🥃 Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage
Single-barrel expression of Evan Williams: the label shows the year of filling into oak, the bottling year and the barrel number; 7–8 years, 86.6 proof (43.3% ABV).
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage is an expression of the Evan Williams brand from a single barrel. Each bottle shows the year the spirit was filled into oak, the bottling year and the barrel number. Heaven Hill gives the age as seven to eight years, and the strength as 86.6 proof, or 43.3% ABV.
Master distillers at Heaven Hill select the barrels every year, so each release has its own vintage. The mash bill is the same as the whole brand's: 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley (per Difford's Guide). The bourbon matures in new charred oak barrels. The producer presents it as the brand's single-barrel bourbon with a year on the label.
Why it matters to you. Unlike Black Label and 1783 Small Batch, this is not a blend: two bottles from different barrels can taste differently. Compare the year and the barrel number on the label. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 43.3% ABV (86.6 proof) |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | 7–8 years (according to Heaven Hill) |
| Raw material | corn 78%, rye 10%, malted barley 12% (per Difford's Guide) |
| Cask type | new charred oak barrels (a bourbon requirement) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Legal basis | 27 CFR § 5.143 (US): bourbon whisky; straight — at least 2 years |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky, 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Evan Williams, 🥃 Bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel, 🥃 Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch, 🥃 Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch, 🥃 Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, 🥃 Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that 'Vintage' here means the bottling year?
Not only. The label shows the year the spirit was put into the barrel, the bottling year and the barrel number.
How many years of aging?
According to Heaven Hill, seven to eight years.
What is the strength of Single Barrel Vintage?
86.6 proof, or 43.3% ABV.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky — Malted barley is the base of whisky: malt enzymes convert starch in the mash, and EU whisky is distilled below 94.8% vol.
- 🥃 Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel — The oldest permanent Elijah Craig version: a Kentucky bourbon from a single barrel aged 18 years; 45% ABV (90 proof); first released in 1994.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky — Grain in the name of American whiskey: bourbon is at least 51% corn, rye at least 51% rye, corn whiskey at least 80% corn.
Similar
🥃 Evan Williams Black Label · 🥃 Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch · 🥃 Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond · 🥃 Crow 86 · 🥃 Woodford Reserve Malt · 🥃 Old Crow Bourbon
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Evan Williams (official): Single Barrel (86.6 proof; hand-selected by the master distillers)
- Heaven Hill Distillery: Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage (86.6 proof; 7–8 years; label shows year put in oak, bottling year and barrel number)
- Difford's Guide: Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage (43.3 % ABV; annual release; barrel selection by master distiller; mash 78/10/12)
- Heaven Hill: new proprietary bottle and updated packaging for the Evan Williams bourbon family (12.06.2013; Black Label flagship, White Label Bottled-in-Bond; 1783 Small Batch and Single Barrel Vintage)
- 27 CFR § 5.143 Standards of identity for whisky (bourbon: mash min. 51 % corn, charred new oak; straight: min. 2 years), text via Cornell LII
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)