Evan Williams Single Barrel 2001

While last year’s vintage was a more delicate expression of Evan Williams I loved it for its elegance charm and balance (and gave it a 95 rating). This one is darker in flavor and bolder with more caramelized sugars (caramel toffee maple syrup) along with some underlying fruit. It’s also drier spicier and with more wood influence (resin and polished leather). It still maintains its balance on the nose and majority of the palate but with more wood on the finish than I would prefer to rate it in the 90s. (One more thing to consider: it’s a single barrel bottling and no two barrels are alike.) Value Pick