10 year old Evan Williams

By the way, I don't know if I've mentioned this previously, but I've never been a fan of single barrel bourbons. I've tried many, and there are none on my Top 25. As a matter of fact, there are a couple of big name single barrel bourbons, of which I've tried many bottles, that just don't make it for me. Sure, they have a "signature" flavor profile, but I wasn't liking the profile.

Well, my reason for disliking single barrel bourbons is actually different, because I've had quite a few, different bottles purchased from different sources of many different labels. What my main problem with single barrel bourbons has been is that they don't seem to have much in the way of flavor. They're so smooth, with muted flavors, almost as though an effort was made to ensure that someone who wasn't familiar with bourbon wouldn't be "offended" at the taste.

I like a flavor profile that moves around a bit, or at least has one outstanding characteristic. Single barrel bourbons seem to be bottled for those who aren't familiar with bourbon, as though the distiller didn't want to chase a prospective customer away. It's eerily like the cigar "boom" of the 90's, when flavorless cigars were being made with high price tags, catchy names and fancy bands, for yuppies who were going to get tired of the fad in a few years anyway.

Glad I read this thread. I was thinking about buying a bottle or 2 of the more expensive Jack Daniel's Single Barrel. I knew that it varied from barrel to barrel but after reading the cons of it I think I'll stick to the Black Label which I already know I like.

Thanks for the info and the link jlmarta. I drink my JD the same way, just drop an ice cube (or two depending on the pour) into the glass and sip. I will have to give the EW a try for sure.

EDIT: I'm glad I read that link. I could've SWORN the stuff was 90proof back when I was in the navy and was surprised to see it as 80 proof. My gf asked what the proof was and I told her 90 but when I checked to be sure I was rather surprised and thought I must have made a mistake. Those BASTARDS!!!

Exactly, that is what makes it fun. I've been through 83 bourbons in my quest to find the best, at least what suits me best, and it is indeed big fun.

Here's another one from the files of what's not ten years old any more. There's a review in here where I reviewed the El Cheapos that I explored in the 2005-6 bourbon/rye season. One of them was Heaven Hill 10 year old, ordered from Shoppers Vineyard at $8.99 plus shipping. Well, a little more than a year goes by, and for the past month or so, the $8.99 bourbon just under the Heaven Hill four year old, now reads . . .

Heaven Hill Mild and Mellow Bourbon. Same price, same position in the lineup at Shoppers Vineyards' web site, just not 10 years old any more. And it's also a Heaven Hill bourbon!!! Surprise, surprise, not ten years old any more!!! Wow, who'da thunk it?!?!?!?!??

That's pretty much the way I feel about Maker's Mark. It's very nice, and I have a lot of respect for the people there, and enjoy all the cool, free stuff I get for being a Maker's Mark Ambassador. It is a wheated bourbon. I prefer my bourbon, especially the wheated ones, much older than what Maker's Mark is bottled at, erego, I rarely if ever drink it any more. I would never refuse a glass, though.

All in all, you really can't go wrong with it, and as a mixer, it's excellent, if not unsurpassed.

I just received my latest order from Binny's. In the spirit in which this thread was started, the following fax was sent to the fax number at the Binny's location from which the order was shipped, however addressed to the entire Binny's operation.

_________________

"Please note that I just received my latest order #______ from your store in Niles, IL. I am quite satisfied with the order as usual, and have no complaints whatsoever. I would like to point something out however, that will be helpful to myself and other customers in the future.

I have been a Binny’s customer for at least the past four or five years. I participate on two web sites, am somewhat widely read, and regularly give out shopping tips on liquor and cigars. For years I have touted your web site as being the best to order wine and spirits from for a variety of reasons.

With respect to one item I received, I would appreciate if you would correct the listing on your web site. This will make things easier for myself and those who read my shopping tips on the internet. When I ordered product No. 192382, Evan Williams 1783 bourbon, I had already been informed by a friend on one web site, that the distillery no longer has ten year old bourbon for this label.

The name has in fact, been changed to Evan Williams 1783 “No. 10 Brand” bourbon. In speaking with the distillery by telephone, he was informed of this change, and told that the whiskey currently is “about” nine years old, but that also may change with time. This of course, makes it a different product, as even whiskey taken from barrels of the same distillation, and stored in the same area of a warehouse, can exhibit vast taste differences with even just a year’s age difference.

Although I placed my order will the full knowledge that I could wind up with the new product, I was secretly hoping that perhaps an old bottle of the true ten year old was available. As previously stated, I accept this bottle totally without complaint, but would appreciate it if Binny’s would change the listing on the web site to avoid future confusion.

Thank you for your attention to this fax, and I wish the staff and families of the entire Binny’s operation The Lord’s blessings for health, peace, happiness, abundance and safety during the coming holiday season."
_________________

Hopefully, this will continue the internet trend of effecting positive changes in our culture's service of consumers, as purveyors realize the dialogues that take place, and hopefully take the care to keep up with the changes in their industries as well as we do.

jlmarta said:

Well said, and well done, Mr. Bloofington, sir. I couldn't have done better.

Click to expand...

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: oke: oke:

BOY! He doesn't ol' Bloofy!!!!!!!!!

NAH!! :wine: To you Sir Loin of Bloof!!!

Oh and Jlmarta, if you do get back online and happen to read this, look for the OLD bottle of Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve at your local establishment. This bourbon, at 101 proof is worth buying. The new 80 proof (?) not so much...IMHO

JL, thanks for the kind words. I am going to keep on top of Binny's web site to see if it goes according to your compliments toward me. While we can hope it will do some good, I hope my fax hasn't already been deposited in File 13, hee, hee, heee!!!

As for what rmrdaddy said about the Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve, the original was a minimum of 10 years old at 101 proof, very special stuff. I've never tasted the new 90 proof, and have no intention of doing so.

As for the Wild Turkey Rare Breed, I like it a lot, but Baker's is special. Speaking of Baker's, I just finished perhaps the best bottle of it I've ever had. Many around here may have heard me describe Baker's as tasting like butter. A good bottle of Baker's will have a hint of oak to go with the butter. This bottle was exceptional, as there were strong, spicy oak notes, but perfectly balanced by the butter. You can't go wrong with Baker's.

Well, although this thread has been opened over 300 times by other people than I, since first posting the text of my fax to Binny's, and although 11 days have gone by since that fax, Binny's is still listing the Evan Williams 1783 bourbon as "10 yr."

Erego, I don't know how much good I really did with that fax, regardless of the compliments I've received here. I mean, how long does it take the store in Niles, IL to inform the home office, and for the vaunted whiskey managers, who have taken Binny's to new heights over the past two, three years since coming on board/getting promoted, and indeed they have, . . .

to make a simple, stinking phone call and have the same conversation with the distillery, and do all the inquiring that was done by one of our own members, upon finding out he may have bought "a pig in a poke?" I mean, Binny's is opening new locations faster than Charbucks, and they certainly love to toot their own horn, deservedly so, but I don't like getting the back of their hand.

And if it weren't such a great place, with outstanding selections, prices and shipping charges, I'd almost be tempted to boycott them for a while. One thing I will not do is follow up my fax. I took a long time composing, proofing, editing, sending that fax, and making sure confirmation was received. I don't have time for double work.

I guess so far Binny's deems it unnecessary to make such a call to the distillery, or perhaps it takes a lot less time to just snicker at my fax, forget about informing the home office, and toss it in the trash for a three pointer from across the office. That way you can look like a hero to the rest of the people in the office. Wow, great shot!!!

Or is it that Binny's took my long term customer status and internet shopping expert, tip giving blabbermouth claim seriously, and called the distillery to check up and, . . .

are still waiting for that call back?

Either way, what I'd say to the people putting out Evan Williams and Binny's is to Binny's, don't give me the back of your hand. You don't want to lose my business or my constantly scanning your web site and putting out what a great place you are on the internet. To the people making Evan Williams 1783 no longer 10 year old, but now "No. 10 Brand" bourbon, you're not slick. People can read. We can also taste, because I was detecting bad bottles of Booker's and other bourbons long before my Whiskey Sensei taught me about the finer particulars of the industry, and why that can happen, in addition to the common sense aspects.

Yes, we can read and we can taste, and the carnival-like changing of the label to make the 10 look huge from far away, in other words, to suggest that it's really still the same old product, is not funny. It's pure American hucksterism, and it doesn't matter that it's a cheap bourbon, and we should be thankful for such things. We want honesty in our producers and attention to customer complaints and inquiries from our distilleries.

Binny's isn't the last place in the world to buy booze, because I can get to two liquor stores almost on a par with them within half an hour of locking my door. And with distilleries all over struggling to keep up with the Bourbon Boom, we can also change over to products we'll like just as much, if our innocent but important inquiries to distilleries get us the back of their hands.

Yesterday marked the one month anniversary of my fax to Binny's. They are still listing the Evan Williams 1783 bourbon as being 10 years old. We know that's no longer true. I'm not too happy with the fact their listing hasn't changed, but I've gone as far as I can with Binny's. I'm not doing double work. We've seen a very clever masking campaign with the keeping of the big gold "10" on the front of the label, even though the "10" no longer means anything. Buyer beware, . . .

now more than ever.

Glad to hear you like the Baker's. As for the Rare Breed, yes, it's good but not great, otherwise it would still be in my Top 25, ha, haaaa!!!

As for Evan Williams 1783, Binny's still hasn't changed their listing. Thanks for that great customer service. I guess the person who got my fax at the store in Niles said eff you and threw the thing in the garbage. I wonder if any one from Binny's ever checks in here?

If you do, check your bottles of Evan Williams 1783 and see if what was said here wasn't true. You guys need to change your listing, and with your dwindling bourbon selection, and prices that are no longer as good as they used to be across the board, I guess you can afford to piss people off. God bless Binny's just the same.