Another fun side-by-side bourbon comparison, and this time I am looking at the Evan Williams vs Jim Beam bourbon whiskey. As part of my comparison series, I put these two well know budget brands next to each other so you can make an informed buying decision.
Two of the most famous bourbon whiskey brands on the market are Jim Beam and Evan Williams. These bourbons are available in many countries around the world. Both brands have histories that date back a long time. But if you can get only one bottle, which bottle is worth buying?
Evan Williams Bourbon Whiskey
The Evan Williams Straight bourbon whiskey is a brand from the Heaven Hill range. Evan Williams decided to settle in Kentucky, which is where he began distilling his bourbon in 1783.
This specific bourbon release was first introduced to the American market in 1957. Evan Williams is distilled at Heaven Hill’s Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky.
It is between 5-7 years old. The Evan Williams’ mash bill is 78% corn, 12% malted barley and 10% rye. It retails for R250 in SA, and I see that there is some available at WhiskyBrother&Co. Over on THIS blog post I explored more comparisons with other Evan Williams releases.
Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey
Jim Beam is one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. In the early 1700s, a group of German immigrants moved to Kentucky to farm the new land. Jacob Beam (Boehm) grew grains and corn. The region allowed abundant cereal farming.
In 1795 he founded Jim Beam and used his excess grain to distil whiskey. He began selling it under the name of Old Jake Beam, and in 1820 his son David began managing the distillery. The distillery and brand grew from strength to strength. In 2014, Suntory Holdings acquired Jim Beam to create Beam Suntory.
The Jim Beam Straight bourbon whiskey is distilled at lower temperatures and aged for 4 years in oak. The mash bill is 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley. It retails for around R230 in SA and is readily available. I have also done a side by side comparison between the Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s whiskey comparison.
Side by Side: Evan Williams vs Jim Beam Bourbon
| Evan Williams Bourbon | Jim Beam Bourbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon Whiskey |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 12% malted barley and 10% rye | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| ABV | 43% | 43% |
| Colour | Dark reddish gold | Golden Mahogany |
| Nose | While it has the traditional bourbon notes of toasty oak and vanilla on the nose, there is an element of corn syrup floating around. The nose is very one-dimensional and not layered or complex. | Subtle vanilla, spice, pine forests, toasted oak and lemon zest with hints of toffee. Sticky pudding and caramelized fruit. |
| Palate | It offers little complexity. Toasty oak, vanilla and bits of spice. All kinds of rough edges and alcohol notes. It has a light body and mouthfeel. Adding water does little to increase the complexity. It unlocks notes of chilli and bitter orange peel. | Spicy with toasted oak and mint freshness. Hints of dry paper and pepper. A faint hint of vanilla. Water brings more citrus and pepper. It has a light body and is not very complex. |
| Finish | A bit rough and fortunately does not linger too long. | Long and dry with citrus and pepper. |
| My Rating | Good | Very Good |
| Price | $12 | $15 |
It was not difficult to choose the one I prefer. Even in our blind tasting, the difference between the Jim Beam and the Evan Williams is noticeable. The Evan Williams is more bourbon-y, meaning that it has the expected textbook bourbon notes that I was looking for with toasted wood and vanilla.
However, it was very one dimensional and had raw alcohol notes that were not pleasant. The sweetness was also more corn syrup and less warming caramel.
The Jim Beam was less bourbon’y, with the oak and vanilla notes being less prominent. However, the sweetness was more caramel, and the taste was a bit more complex. It also had a bit more of a pepper bite.
At the price point, you get what you pay for. These are some of the cheapest bourbons available, and if you want to experience bourbon, I would instead add a couple of bucks and look at the Buffalo Trace or Wild Turkey. If you are looking for an affordable drink to add to your cola or lemonade, this will work very well.
The last comparison in this three some is where I looked at the Evan Williams vs Jack Daniel’s whiskey.
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Lynn
Seriously Jeannette !!! Jim Beam was not founded in 1975 !!!! Also, Jim Beam does not use wheat in the mashbill !!
Kathryn
The content in the summary table seems the opposite of the narrative description. Are you sure you don’t have the columns mixed up? In part 3 you say you preferred the Jim Beam slightly but here you rate the Jim Beam as Good and the Evan Williams as Very Good
Scott McDonald
This is very fun as well as educational. I am learning to find what style that I like..
I have enjoyed Buffalo Trace,Buffalo Trace but Four Roses seemed to have enough of what I wanted
I will continue to my groove pallet with expensive or inexpensive bourbon to learn all that I can.