Review #350 - Evan Williams 12 Year Red Label
Generally found as an export product in other countries, especially Japan, this 12 year old version of Evan Williams wasn't previously available in the US, where it originates. It is available now, technically, but in limited fashion - you can only buy this in the gift shop when visiting the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Louisville, Kentucky. There is a catch, though - pricing is far, far higher than in export markets, closer to $150.
On top of the premium age statement, we also get an elevated strength of 50.5% ABV (101 proof), which is a great sign. How much of a step up from the more available Evan Williams bottlings will this be, and is it worth that premium price?
Evan Williams 12 Year Red Label
USA - Bourbon
Current Locally Available Price: USD 150 (2024)
Age Statement: 12 Years
Strength: 50.5% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle at 40% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Nicely rounded, with a variety of baking notes: brown sugar, caramel turtles, sharp vanilla bean, and some anise spice. There's a decent oak note, but it's far from overwhelming, and we get a dusty character, too; at the end, hints of orange curacao.
Palate: The mouthfeel has a medium thickness; decently oaky, with a little bit of nutty flavor, and plenty of sweet notes: sweet candied nuts, creme brulee, and brown sugar. There's a little hint of red fruit later on, but it's quite subtle.
Finish: The brown sugar turns into a strong caramel note, and the warming oak influence starts to bring some sweet cinnamon; the finish is medium-long.
Final Note: This is a good bourbon, which seems to have aged more elegantly than some others - some can feel over-oaked after 12 years of aging, but not here. It's quite a big step up in quality from the usual Evan Williams offerings, such as the black label and the bottled and bond; in our limited experience, the single barrels aren't quite up to this level, either.
Value, though, is still quite tricky, as this is also 10x as expensive as some of the Evan Williams core offerings; solid bourbon, but not worth the price to buy it here in the United States.
Our Average Rating: 7.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.17
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
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