Evan Williams Black Lbl

Black Label is a Kentucky straight bourbon and a sour mash whiskey. The label says extra aged in oak, and it spends at least four years in barrel. It is bottled at 43 per cent, or 86 proof, and the square bottle with its black label has been around since the 1960s. It has long ranked among the best-selling bourbons in the world.

The flavour is straightforward and approachable. Expect vanilla and apple on the nose with a little ginger and allspice, then vanilla, black pepper and some oak on the palate. The finish runs dry with a hint of lemon zest. That makes it a good everyday bourbon for mixing. Use it in an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan, or pour it over ice with a splash of water.