Willet 5 yr bourbon/116 proof

At a family event this weekend a relative was kind enough to share some Willett 5 year bourbon..116 proof. Amazingly smooth for 5 year and that proof. And the most amazing thing...it tasted like liquid peanut butter. I love PB so that is a good thing. Obviously heavy rye recipe, but with a sweetness that results in this peanut butter thing. Anyone else tasted this in the younger Willett Bourbons?

I bought a bottle of the Willett 7yr (off hand I think it was 114 proof). It tasted like very strong Wild Turkey and had a rubbing alcohol aftertaste. Very bitter. However, the addition of water brought out a creamy flavor note. Also aeration also has improved the flavor.

I am thinking of going back and getting the 6 and maybe the 5 yr.

All these Willett Bourbon bottlings are single barrel releases, so they'll vary widely.

Was at TPS today, and it looked like they just recently got a whole bunch of Willett single barrel selections in stock. If anyone has had opportunity to try any of the new ones, I'm interested in what you have to say about them.

To update my post, the proof on the 7yr was actually 116.

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Originally Posted by cbus

Was at TPS today, and it looked like they just recently got a whole bunch of Willett single barrel selections in stock. If anyone has had opportunity to try any of the new ones, I'm interested in what you have to say about them.

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Any wheated? The 17 y/o barrel 14a wheated was excellent.

No idea. Didn't ask about them because I wasn't there to get bourbon (necessarily...though I did pick up a bottle of rittenhouse, since I never seem able to find it anywhere) but to my recollection there were five or six new bourbons, as well as what appeared to be a new selection of the willett rye, which took all of my will power to keep from grabbing a bottle of. Was just wondering if anyone had tasted any of them.

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Originally Posted by cbus

No idea. Didn't ask about them because I wasn't there to get bourbon (necessarily...though I did pick up a bottle of rittenhouse, since I never seem able to find it anywhere) but to my recollection there were five or six new bourbons, as well as what appeared to be a new selection of the willett rye, which took all of my will power to keep from grabbing a bottle of. Was just wondering if anyone had tasted any of them.

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Not there to get bourbon????? I'm not sure I understand. I feel light headed, confused. I didn't realize it was possible to visit TPS for reasons beyond bourbon.

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Originally Posted by clingman71

Not there to get bourbon????? I'm not sure I understand. I feel light headed, confused. I didn't realize it was possible to visit TPS for reasons beyond bourbon.

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Yeah... was lookin for some bubbly for a friend's birthday. That doesn't mean bourbon wasn't on the mind, though.

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Originally Posted by weller_tex

At a family event this weekend a relative was kind enough to share some Willett 5 year bourbon..116 proof. Amazingly smooth for 5 year and that proof. And the most amazing thing...it tasted like liquid peanut butter. I love PB so that is a good thing. Obviously heavy rye recipe, but with a sweetness that results in this peanut butter thing. Anyone else tasted this in the younger Willett Bourbons?

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@WT, funny you should mention peanut butter: I have a Willett 5 open, 120.2 proof, Barrel 5178. It has excellent depth and balance, with rye and spices, and no bite whatsoever -- but no peanut butter! On the other hand, I picked up peanut butter in two other bottles: Rowan's Creek and Noah's Mill. All three come from KBD, so it's quite possible that this be a family resemblance. I didn't grow up with PB, and I do not like it in my whiskey...