Evan Williams Green Label is one of those bottles that quietly sits on the back bar while flashier names grab all the attention. That's a shame, because what Heaven Hill (the likely producer, though not officially confirmed on the label) has put together here is a genuinely solid everyday bourbon at a price point that won't make your wallet flinch. At £39.95, this sits in that sweet spot where you can pour it neat after dinner or mix it into a weeknight Old Fashioned without a second thought.
For those unfamiliar, the Green Label is the entry-level expression in the Evan Williams range. It carries no age statement, which in the bourbon world simply means the distiller has opted for flexibility — blending barrels of different ages to hit a consistent flavour profile rather than committing to a specific maturation window. At 40% ABV, it's bottled at the legal minimum for bourbon, which keeps things approachable but can sometimes mean the whiskey plays it safe. That's not necessarily a bad thing when you're looking for a reliable pour.
As a Kentucky Straight Bourbon, this has to meet some pretty strict legal requirements that actually work in the drinker's favour. We're talking at least two years in new charred oak barrels, a mashbill with a minimum 51% corn, and distillation no higher than 160 proof. These rules exist for a reason — they guarantee a baseline of quality that you simply don't get in every whiskey category. Whatever's in this bottle has earned the right to call itself straight bourbon, and that counts for something.
Tasting Notes
I don't have my detailed tasting notes to hand for this particular bottling, so I'll hold off on making specific claims about nose, palate, and finish. What I can say is that Green Label sits firmly in the classic bourbon style — expect the kind of warm, corn-forward sweetness and oak influence that Kentucky does better than anywhere else. It's not going to blow your mind with complexity, but it delivers exactly what it promises.
The Verdict
I'm giving Evan Williams Green Label a 7.5 out of 10, and I feel good about that score. This is a bourbon that does its job well. It's honest, it's consistent, and it represents genuine value at under forty quid. You're not paying for marketing or a fancy bottle — you're paying for decent whiskey. In a market flooded with overpriced NAS releases dressed up with gold foil and origin stories, there's something refreshing about a bottle that just gets on with it. If you're building a home bar or looking for a daily sipper that won't break the bank, Green Label deserves a spot on your shelf. It's the kind of bourbon I always recommend to people who ask me what to drink when they're not trying to impress anyone — just trying to enjoy a good glass of whiskey.
Best Served
This is a natural cocktail bourbon. At 40% ABV and this price point, I'd point you straight toward a classic Old Fashioned — two dashes of Angostura, a sugar cube, a wide strip of orange peel, and a single large ice cube. The Green Label has enough backbone to stand up to the bitters and sweetener without getting lost, and you won't wince about using it as your mixing base. If cocktails aren't your thing, pour it over a single large ice cube and let it open up for five minutes. Sometimes the simplest serve is the best one.
