DePasta
Stop it! That tickles!
While I could never live up to AVB’s reviews I figured I would review this relatively new release.
Willett Single Barrel Estate Reserve
I saw this at the local store and decided to pick it up for around $39. I figured if I didn’t like it, at least I’d have a cool bottle on the shelf. While the Willett distillery is not producing any stock (there are rumors of bottling going on, but not production) I was hopeful for the taste of some of the older bottles that came from this distillery in the past. The distillery produced into the 80’s and stock existed through the late 90’s (so I am told.) Since then many of the brands are bottled by other distilleries under the Kentucky Bourbon Distillers flag or Heaven Hill. While there are rumors of production from the Willett Distillery I am not aware of any. About a year ago, my bride and I drove up to the site. There was some construction going on (looked like an office with a visitor’s center) but it was largely abandoned.
Age: Estimated at 8-10 yrs.
Proof: 94
Bottle Info: Bottle No. 107 of 253 from barrel no. 8053
The bottle is shaped like the pot stills that were used in the days that Willett produced. I highly doubt that this bourbon was produced using this method.
We (my friend Brian and I) decided to break it open and have a taste the night we got it home. The nose was surprisingly fruity backed up by a bit of vanilla. It smelled quite promising. The alcohol in the nose was a bit more pronounced than one of my favorites Four Roses Single Barrel.
Upon tasting it neat it didn’t live up to my expectations. The vanilla and caramel where outweighed by a grassiness that I would typically taste in a Heaven Hill product which leads to my suspicion that the stock that this was bottled with came from HH.
While this bourbon is “the new thing” there are many others that I would put in front of this bourbon…Including any of the Van Winkle line, Four Roses Single Barrel and Small Batch, Noah’s Mill, and the list could go on…..
Willett Single Barrel Estate Reserve
I saw this at the local store and decided to pick it up for around $39. I figured if I didn’t like it, at least I’d have a cool bottle on the shelf. While the Willett distillery is not producing any stock (there are rumors of bottling going on, but not production) I was hopeful for the taste of some of the older bottles that came from this distillery in the past. The distillery produced into the 80’s and stock existed through the late 90’s (so I am told.) Since then many of the brands are bottled by other distilleries under the Kentucky Bourbon Distillers flag or Heaven Hill. While there are rumors of production from the Willett Distillery I am not aware of any. About a year ago, my bride and I drove up to the site. There was some construction going on (looked like an office with a visitor’s center) but it was largely abandoned.
Age: Estimated at 8-10 yrs.
Proof: 94
Bottle Info: Bottle No. 107 of 253 from barrel no. 8053
The bottle is shaped like the pot stills that were used in the days that Willett produced. I highly doubt that this bourbon was produced using this method.
We (my friend Brian and I) decided to break it open and have a taste the night we got it home. The nose was surprisingly fruity backed up by a bit of vanilla. It smelled quite promising. The alcohol in the nose was a bit more pronounced than one of my favorites Four Roses Single Barrel.
Upon tasting it neat it didn’t live up to my expectations. The vanilla and caramel where outweighed by a grassiness that I would typically taste in a Heaven Hill product which leads to my suspicion that the stock that this was bottled with came from HH.
While this bourbon is “the new thing” there are many others that I would put in front of this bourbon…Including any of the Van Winkle line, Four Roses Single Barrel and Small Batch, Noah’s Mill, and the list could go on…..
