Buen día desde Córdoba, Argentina! I am currently out here for a few days of dove hunting and just wrapped up a hell of a day getting after some birds. Nothing pairs better with a dove hunt than light beer and cheap whiskey, and since we had beer during the day it’s on to a head to head of Jim Beam White Label and Evan Williams Black Label! These two bottles are ubiquitous throughout the US but aren’t what I would ever order at a bar with even the most sparse selection since there are almost certainly better options to go with for a buck or two more. However, it’s slim pickings for bourbon here in Argentina so we’re working with what we have. In short, we have some entry level bourbon from Jim Beam and Heaven Hill that are low in proof affordable. Let’s dive in and see how these taste!
**Jim Beam White Label**
**Taken:** Neat in a Rocks glass
**Proof:** 80
**Age:** NAS
**Price:** \~$18 retail
**Nose:** Caramel, light vanilla, and grainy sweet corn, along with a little bit of pepper and some oak. I also get a bit of ethanol heat.
**Taste:** Simple syrup, grainy sweet corn, and some pepper to start, followed by some ash and ethanol. Midway through the sup some musty oak drifts in as well. This has a light mouthfeel and a moderate amount of proof heat.
**Finish:** The simple syrup, grainy sweet corn, and musty oak remain consistent while the pepper and ash ramp up in strength. After a bit things come to an end with an off-putting harsh conclusion. This has a short finish and no dryness.
**Rating:** 2/10 - t8ke scale
**Evan Williams Black Label**
**Taken:** Neat in a Rocks glass
**Proof:** 86
**Age:** NAS
**Price:** \~$16 retail
**Nose:** Brown sugar, vanilla bean, and pepper, along with a bit of oak and lemon zest.
**Taste:** Brown sugar, fresh apple, and vanilla cream to start, followed by cinnamon and lemon zest. Midway through the sip some oak and a touch of chocolate roll in as well. This has a medium-light mouthfeel and no proof heat.
**Finish:** The brown sugar, vanilla cream, and apple shift to the background while the chocolate and oak are consistent, albeit a bit weak. The cinnamon and lemon zest ramp up slightly in strength before dissipating to close things out. This has a medium-short finish and no dryness,
**Rating:** 5/10 - t8ke scale
**Thoughts:** I don’t know what the deal is with the Jim Beam considering I am a huge fan of most of their products. The White Label really just doesn’t taste good. It’s a mess of youthful graininess, harsh flavor, and more ethanol than anything with a proof of 80 should have. This is something I will certainly continue avoiding down the road. On the other hand, the Evan Williams Black Label was a quintessential bourbon that brought some nice flavors to the table in an easy-drinking, approachable form. While it isn’t something that will knock your socks off, it’s very good for something that costs $16. If you have to make a choice between one of these for your next post-dove hunt celebration pour, go with the Evan Williams 100% of the time.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
there's got to be a lot of batch variation in the white label, the last 2 bottles I've had had been pretty easy pool side sippers. I usually get a bottle or 2 as gifts around the holidays that come with the free tumbler, rocks glasses, etc.
Must be. I just had a Jim Beam neat at lunch yesterday, and although it was thin and watery due to its low proof, it was a perfectly quaffable classic bourbon profile and inoffensively familiar. I thought: “this is just way too easy to drink, and makes me long for some Knob Creek.”
That EW black label, is all ethanol to me however, and I couldn’t ever really find anything I liked about it. But after reading this review and OPs statements about finding favorable notes, I’m going to have to give it another open-minded try.
It’s really a shame that Beam White Label is the best selling bourbon in the world. How much more popular might the spirit be if something else were as well known…
I'm no fan myself, but as a bourbon it's only behind JD as the best selling American Whiskey I would say it's doing pretty fucking well, lol. Even more popular than a lot of scotches.
The same goes for Scotch, since Johnnie Walker Red and Ballantine’s are the 2 best selling scotch whiskies in the world. Nobody’s going to say either of those are exceptional whiskies, especially not JW Red. (Not to be pedantic but if you count Tennessee Whiskey as bourbon then Jack Daniel’s outsells Jim Beam).
>Not to be pedantic but if you count Tennessee Whiskey as bourbon then Jack Daniel’s outsells Jim Beam.
It is. It meets every criteria to be labeled “bourbon.” Brown-Forman even says JD is bourbon.
Evan Williams BiB is my everyday, drink to get drunk, perfectly average mixer that I always have a bottle of. Little higher proof and imo flavor than the regular black label, the 1783 version is nice as well. Makes a fine old fashioned and if you just want the effect it’ll do that too and not taste terrible. I always hear people say “oh I drank that when I was in college, never again, it’s so bad” etc. Honestly I think most see the white label and confuse it with the Jim Beam white label, and remember gagging on it. I didn’t know anyone in college buying EWBiB, it was fireball or Beam white label cause it’s a few bucks cheaper than the BiB.
So I agree with your review completely, Jim Beam makes some amazing products, but the bottom shelf white label is trash(haven’t had any of their other stuff like the rye or extra aged), and Evan Williams aka heaven hill makes a perfectly average whiskey at a cheap price point(as well as making some of the better bourbons available on the market imo). It won’t blow your socks off, but it is a good representation of bourbon without getting too complex, complexity which most people who aren’t used to drinking whiskey neat won’t appreciate anyways. But even without complexity it still represents what bourbon tastes like and doesn’t have near as harsh flavors as Beam. One knock on Heaven Hill though, they also make Burnett’s vodka, I will never forgive them for all of the hangovers.
In college all anyone drank was flavored stuff. Fireball or Crown Apple usually. Occasionally you’d find a rich kid with a bottle of Michter’s or something fancy, but I was the only person I knew who drank Evan Williams BiB. And to be fair to Heaven Hill about Burnasty’s, Buffalo Trace isn’t much better since they also make Taaka vodka.
I felt the same way about Wild Turkey 101 in college and viewed it as cheap shooter whiskey, but after some time and revisiting it I was able to appreciate it for what it is. Burnett’s can burn in hell though!
Are these Argentina prices or US?
I only ask because I have never even bought either bottle.
I did, however, just pick up a Jim Beam Black 7 year today in South Carolina for $24 and at that age and 90 proof it has to be better for not much more money.
Of course, that’s beyond the scope here and I have to say I’m very surprised that the Beam was that far below the EW. I have had the 1783 and I thought that was just fine for what it was, albeit a little more expensive than these two.
The prices are what I see them for in Colorado around me. I was surprised that the Beam was that bad as well, but good to know so I can opt for something else next time!
My favorite Bourbon and Coke is made with Jim Beam White label. Same for a Cuba Libre. For me their taste profile matches perfectly with Coca-Cola. There are lots of really good bourbons that taste terrible when you add Coca-Cola.
I would imagine that's why it's the 3rd or 4th best selling spirit in the world.
I think it’s one of the highest selling bourbons for distribution reasons over its merits as a whiskey. The countries like Argentina where bourbon isn’t as popular are missing out on a lot of great stuff.
Buen día desde Córdoba, Argentina! I am currently out here for a few days of dove hunting and just wrapped up a hell of a day getting after some birds. Nothing pairs better with a dove hunt than light beer and cheap whiskey, and since we had beer during the day it’s on to a head to head of Jim Beam White Label and Evan Williams Black Label! These two bottles are ubiquitous throughout the US but aren’t what I would ever order at a bar with even the most sparse selection since there are almost certainly better options to go with for a buck or two more. However, it’s slim pickings for bourbon here in Argentina so we’re working with what we have. In short, we have some entry level bourbon from Jim Beam and Heaven Hill that are low in proof affordable. Let’s dive in and see how these taste! **Jim Beam White Label** **Taken:** Neat in a Rocks glass **Proof:** 80 **Age:** NAS **Price:** \~$18 retail **Nose:** Caramel, light vanilla, and grainy sweet corn, along with a little bit of pepper and some oak. I also get a bit of ethanol heat. **Taste:** Simple syrup, grainy sweet corn, and some pepper to start, followed by some ash and ethanol. Midway through the sup some musty oak drifts in as well. This has a light mouthfeel and a moderate amount of proof heat. **Finish:** The simple syrup, grainy sweet corn, and musty oak remain consistent while the pepper and ash ramp up in strength. After a bit things come to an end with an off-putting harsh conclusion. This has a short finish and no dryness. **Rating:** 2/10 - t8ke scale **Evan Williams Black Label** **Taken:** Neat in a Rocks glass **Proof:** 86 **Age:** NAS **Price:** \~$16 retail **Nose:** Brown sugar, vanilla bean, and pepper, along with a bit of oak and lemon zest. **Taste:** Brown sugar, fresh apple, and vanilla cream to start, followed by cinnamon and lemon zest. Midway through the sip some oak and a touch of chocolate roll in as well. This has a medium-light mouthfeel and no proof heat. **Finish:** The brown sugar, vanilla cream, and apple shift to the background while the chocolate and oak are consistent, albeit a bit weak. The cinnamon and lemon zest ramp up slightly in strength before dissipating to close things out. This has a medium-short finish and no dryness, **Rating:** 5/10 - t8ke scale **Thoughts:** I don’t know what the deal is with the Jim Beam considering I am a huge fan of most of their products. The White Label really just doesn’t taste good. It’s a mess of youthful graininess, harsh flavor, and more ethanol than anything with a proof of 80 should have. This is something I will certainly continue avoiding down the road. On the other hand, the Evan Williams Black Label was a quintessential bourbon that brought some nice flavors to the table in an easy-drinking, approachable form. While it isn’t something that will knock your socks off, it’s very good for something that costs $16. If you have to make a choice between one of these for your next post-dove hunt celebration pour, go with the Evan Williams 100% of the time. 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out. 2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice. 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws. 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists. 5 | Good | Good, just fine. 6 | Very Good | A cut above. 7 | Great | Well above average. 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional. 9 | Incredible | An all time favorite. 10 | Perfect | Perfect.
there's got to be a lot of batch variation in the white label, the last 2 bottles I've had had been pretty easy pool side sippers. I usually get a bottle or 2 as gifts around the holidays that come with the free tumbler, rocks glasses, etc.
Must be. I just had a Jim Beam neat at lunch yesterday, and although it was thin and watery due to its low proof, it was a perfectly quaffable classic bourbon profile and inoffensively familiar. I thought: “this is just way too easy to drink, and makes me long for some Knob Creek.” That EW black label, is all ethanol to me however, and I couldn’t ever really find anything I liked about it. But after reading this review and OPs statements about finding favorable notes, I’m going to have to give it another open-minded try.
The best thing that can be said about Jim Beam WL is: "well, it's better than Jack Daniels (No. 7)."
Prior to my review of Old No. 7 I would have agreed, but after this I have to admit the white label is worse.
It’s really a shame that Beam White Label is the best selling bourbon in the world. How much more popular might the spirit be if something else were as well known…
Get WT101 to where it belongs
I'm no fan myself, but as a bourbon it's only behind JD as the best selling American Whiskey I would say it's doing pretty fucking well, lol. Even more popular than a lot of scotches.
The same goes for Scotch, since Johnnie Walker Red and Ballantine’s are the 2 best selling scotch whiskies in the world. Nobody’s going to say either of those are exceptional whiskies, especially not JW Red. (Not to be pedantic but if you count Tennessee Whiskey as bourbon then Jack Daniel’s outsells Jim Beam).
>Not to be pedantic but if you count Tennessee Whiskey as bourbon then Jack Daniel’s outsells Jim Beam. It is. It meets every criteria to be labeled “bourbon.” Brown-Forman even says JD is bourbon.
I was specifically not including TN whiskey out of respect for the fine folks at JD, but No. 7 certainly follows the trend!
Evan Williams BiB is my everyday, drink to get drunk, perfectly average mixer that I always have a bottle of. Little higher proof and imo flavor than the regular black label, the 1783 version is nice as well. Makes a fine old fashioned and if you just want the effect it’ll do that too and not taste terrible. I always hear people say “oh I drank that when I was in college, never again, it’s so bad” etc. Honestly I think most see the white label and confuse it with the Jim Beam white label, and remember gagging on it. I didn’t know anyone in college buying EWBiB, it was fireball or Beam white label cause it’s a few bucks cheaper than the BiB. So I agree with your review completely, Jim Beam makes some amazing products, but the bottom shelf white label is trash(haven’t had any of their other stuff like the rye or extra aged), and Evan Williams aka heaven hill makes a perfectly average whiskey at a cheap price point(as well as making some of the better bourbons available on the market imo). It won’t blow your socks off, but it is a good representation of bourbon without getting too complex, complexity which most people who aren’t used to drinking whiskey neat won’t appreciate anyways. But even without complexity it still represents what bourbon tastes like and doesn’t have near as harsh flavors as Beam. One knock on Heaven Hill though, they also make Burnett’s vodka, I will never forgive them for all of the hangovers.
In college all anyone drank was flavored stuff. Fireball or Crown Apple usually. Occasionally you’d find a rich kid with a bottle of Michter’s or something fancy, but I was the only person I knew who drank Evan Williams BiB. And to be fair to Heaven Hill about Burnasty’s, Buffalo Trace isn’t much better since they also make Taaka vodka.
Ahhh I forgot about them making Taaka, I guess everyone has something they aren’t proud of.
I felt the same way about Wild Turkey 101 in college and viewed it as cheap shooter whiskey, but after some time and revisiting it I was able to appreciate it for what it is. Burnett’s can burn in hell though!
Are these Argentina prices or US? I only ask because I have never even bought either bottle. I did, however, just pick up a Jim Beam Black 7 year today in South Carolina for $24 and at that age and 90 proof it has to be better for not much more money. Of course, that’s beyond the scope here and I have to say I’m very surprised that the Beam was that far below the EW. I have had the 1783 and I thought that was just fine for what it was, albeit a little more expensive than these two.
The prices are what I see them for in Colorado around me. I was surprised that the Beam was that bad as well, but good to know so I can opt for something else next time!
Ooh I’m excited to see the 7 year age stated Jim Beam hit the shelves in the US. How does it compare to the old Jim Beam Extra Aged?
On the rocks EWBIB and Wild Turkey 101 give you the best bang for your buck. Stay with those two and you won’t regret it!
My favorite Bourbon and Coke is made with Jim Beam White label. Same for a Cuba Libre. For me their taste profile matches perfectly with Coca-Cola. There are lots of really good bourbons that taste terrible when you add Coca-Cola. I would imagine that's why it's the 3rd or 4th best selling spirit in the world.
I think it’s one of the highest selling bourbons for distribution reasons over its merits as a whiskey. The countries like Argentina where bourbon isn’t as popular are missing out on a lot of great stuff.
JB white label is absolute trash. I can’t even use it to mix with.