Heaven Hill Distillery
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey · NAS (estimated 7-8 years, vintage-dated)
Vintage-dated. Single barrel. From one of Kentucky's most storied distilleries. Under $30. Evan Williams Single Barrel is bourbon's best-kept secret—period.
Rating Breakdown
Flavor Profile
Tasting Journey
Nose
Dark honey, roasted oak, cinnamon, vanilla buttercream, Heaven Hill nuttiness, dried citrus peel, licorice, tobacco
Palate
Charred honey, vanilla, dried nuts, baked apple and peach, oak tannins, orange marmalade, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg
Finish
Length: MediumMedium finish with French toast, oak, cherry cordial, dry warming spice, satisfying close
Specs
Price / Value
MSRP: $28
Your Rating
Click to rate
Our Score: 82/100
Pairings
Food
- French toast with maple syrup
- walnut brownies
- smoked ham
- apple cider doughnuts
- mild blue cheese
Cocktails
- Old Fashioned
- Bourbon Coffee
- Whiskey Sour
- neat as an affordable daily sipper
Our Verdict
Evan Williams Single Barrel is bourbon's best-kept secret. Vintage-dated, single barrel, and under $30—it delivers genuine character and transparency that the entire industry should learn from. The most honest bourbon in Kentucky.
Every so often, you encounter a bourbon that makes you question the entire market. Evan Williams Single Barrel is that bourbon. Vintage-dated, single barrel, from the second-largest bourbon producer in the world, and priced under $30. The only explanation for its continued obscurity is that Heaven Hill doesn't want people to realize how good it is.
The vintage dating is the first thing that sets this bourbon apart. While most bottles at this price carry an NAS designation, Evan Williams stamps each release with its barreling date, giving drinkers an unprecedented level of transparency. It's a small gesture that communicates enormous confidence in the consistency of the distillate.
The nose offers dark honey, roasted oak, and cinnamon—pure Heaven Hill house character—along with vanilla buttercream, a distinctive nuttiness, and dried citrus peel. There's licorice and tobacco that add an adult seriousness that most sub-$30 bourbons don't attempt. It smells more expensive than it has any right to.
On the palate, Evan Williams Single Barrel delivers a surprisingly rich experience. Charred honey and vanilla create a sweet foundation, while dried nuts, baked apple and peach, and oak tannins provide complexity. Orange marmalade and walnuts add unique dimension, with cinnamon and nutmeg spice weaving throughout. The mouthfeel is respectably full-bodied for 86.6 proof—the only spec that gives critics ammunition.
The finish is medium-length with French toast, oak, and cherry cordial notes that provide a satisfying, warming close. There's a dry spice that stays just long enough to remind you this is a serious single barrel selection, not a blended afterthought.
At $28, Evan Williams Single Barrel is arguably the most honest bourbon in Kentucky. It doesn't pretend to be something it's not, it doesn't hide behind marketing mystique, and it doesn't charge a premium for the privilege of scarcity. It simply delivers genuine single barrel character at a price that should embarrass the competition. Delicious, affordable, and available—the holy trinity of bourbon.
