Thirsty Thursday

Evan Williams is versatile, sweet and affordable bourbon

Lukas Halloran | Staff Photographer

Evan Williams tastes good both on its own as well as in a mixed drink or with Coke or ginger ale.

Let me introduce you to my friend Jack’s younger brother, Evan.

If you love bourbon but don’t have the money to spend on a bottle of Jack Daniels, then you’ll be happy to meet Evan Williams.

Like any whiskey brand, Evan Williams comes in a variety of flavors. Some are more expensive than others, but the basic green label variety I chose is cheap and good. It comes in a glass bottle — you can get one for $15 — and one sip of it won’t leave you with a nasty hangover the way a sip of bourbon from a plastic bottle can.

It looks like a typical bourbon, golden with a tinge of amber or caramel coloring. It smells like honey, vanilla and caramel, and I got a bit of pecan and walnut too.
As for the taste, I wouldn’t say it’s a smooth whiskey. I normally like my whiskey neat — no ice cubes — but I decided to put one cube in the glass to make it a more enjoyable tasting experience.

On the tip of the tongue, it’s sweet, and then the finish is a bit sour. The most noticeable part of the finish is the smokiness in the throat and nose — it’ll definitely warm up your throat.



Evan Williams does alright on its own, but it’s best in a mixed drink so I recommend keeping a bottle on your shelf. In any drink where Jack is the main liquor, replace it with Evan and you’ll save a pretty penny.

I’ve had Evan Williams with Coke, a whiskey sour and ginger ale, and couldn’t tell a difference between Evan and Jack in a mixed drink when I tried the side-by-side — they both tasted great.

I recommend picking up a bottle of Evan Williams next time you swing by the liquor store. It’s easy on the wallet, goes well in a mixer — but is drinkable on its own — and looks way more expensive than it actually is. Give it a try, and it’ll warm you up in the cold weather.





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