The Whiskey Giant Behind Evan Williams Also Crafts A Wide Range Of Name-Brand Labels

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What makes a whiskey? It can be a little confusing. Officially, it is a fermented grain mixture (barley, rye, corn, wheat) that is then distilled and aged in wooden barrels. But then there are several unique types of whiskey — there's Scotch, Irish whiskey (or whisky), Canadian whiskey, and on and on. When it comes to American whiskey, bourbon is generally considered king. The number one selling American bourbon is Jim Beam, with Evan Williams coming in second. Evan Williams' parent company, Heaven Hill, is also behind some other name-brand liquors that you might not realize it created.

Named after the man who opened Kentucky's first commercial distillery, Evan Williams bourbon is kind of a big deal. Jack Daniel's may have bigger name recognition (it was famously the drink of choice for Frank Sinatra), but it's technically a Tennessee whiskey, not a bourbon, because it goes through an extra maple charcoal process. Evan Williams is still huge in the American whiskey market, but its sibling brands are also making a name for themselves. 

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In the category of fancy American whiskeys, Heaven Hill Brands is the company behind top-shelf Widow Jane bourbon. It may come as a surprise that Widow Jane is sourced from Kentucky, but it's proofed and bottled in Brooklyn, New York, and finished in casks from Amburana, Brazil. Widow Jane is perfect in a classic Old Fashioned. Adding some caramel-forward demerara syrup and a well-spiced dash or two of bitters will expertly play off the woody, vanilla notes of the whiskey.

On the budget-friendly angle, Heaven Hill goes straight for the Captain Morgan's crowd with its Admiral Nelson's spiced rum. It may not be fancy, but it's great with some Coke on the rocks. For more of a cocktail-centric rum concoction, Heaven Hill's Blackheart Premium Spiced Rum adds a little depth to the classic daiquiri or other tropical-style cocktails, like a piña colada or rum punch.

When it comes to straight sipping, you might want to try the smooth and deep Elijah Craig bourbon or Tequila Ocho. While they're from different ends of the Heaven Hill liquor spectrum, they're both deliciously smooth, served on the rocks or neat, right up against the glass.