Party Source Willett Bottlings

[jdodso3]

So what is the consensus on the newer ones that they have on the shelves currently?

Have not seen a thread discussing them yet. Has anyone had the opportunity to try?

[sku]

I've tried a number of them (see review below). They are all pretty good, a few were very good, but none of them blew me away.

http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2010/04/whiskey-wednesday-party-source-willetts.html

[callmeox]

So what is the consensus on the newer ones that they have on the shelves currently?

Have not seen a thread discussing them yet. Has anyone had the opportunity to try?

The consensus here is that we can't come to a consensus on anything.

[Josh]

Yes, I have tried them. I already finished a bottle of the 13 y/o barrel 3665 and I currently have a bottle of the 3 y/o open. I'm trying to make it last as long as possible.

[Josh]

The consensus here is that we can't come to a consensus on anything.

I don't agree with that.:grin:

Yes, I have tried them. I already finished a bottle of the 13 y/o barrel 3665 and I currently have a bottle of the 3 y/o open. I'm trying to make it last as long as possible.

[jburlowski]

The 17 yo wheater is excellent. Also would recommend the 13 yo (#3665).

Some here have liked the 3 yo. I only had a small taste and it was too young for me.

[bad_scientist]

I've read good things about the 17 year wheater on this forum - has anyone had it alongside other wheaters? I would like to make a bulk purchase to save on shipping, and I'd really like to include this. It's so darn expensive, it'd be replacing a Laphroaig 18 and Weller 12 in my order. That's a lot to give up! Is this better than the WLW or PHC, or even the younger van Winkles (10 and 12 years)?

[BourbonJoe]

I am not a fan of young whiskey but that 13 y/o (3665) was very good IMO.

Joe :usflag:

[bad_scientist]

I've been considering the 13 year - I want some bourbons with a decent rye mashbill, since I keep buying wheaters, even though I go to stores expressly for the purpose of buying ryes...

I am not a fan of young whiskey but that 13 y/o (3665) was very good IMO.

Joe :usflag:

[AaronWF]

I've read good things about the 17 year wheater on this forum - has anyone had it alongside other wheaters? I would like to make a bulk purchase to save on shipping, and I'd really like to include this. It's so darn expensive, it'd be replacing a Laphroaig 18 and Weller 12 in my order. That's a lot to give up! Is this better than the WLW or PHC, or even the younger van Winkles (10 and 12 years)?

IMO, the younger van Winkles cannot compete with the Willet 17yr wheater. Like the PHC10, water coaxes a marvelous woody cherry meat out of it, and it's more full-bodied than the PHC. I think it's worth the $20 premium over the PHC. I loved the WLW '10, but in my recollection, it brings different things to the table than the PHC and Willet.

But yeah, that 17yr Willet (barrel 14A) is some really, really good uncut/unfiltered bourbon.

[bad_scientist]

Wow, that makes the choice pretty clear Laphroaig and Weller will just have to wait for their tickets to the DC area. And thanks for putting up with my stupid question - what does "better" mean, anyway? - with a perfect description. The PHC 2010 with some water was a revelation for me, and I prefer it over just about everything I've got at the moment.

IMO, the younger van Winkles cannot compete with the Willet 17yr wheater. Like the PHC10, water coaxes a marvelous woody cherry meat out of it, and it's more full-bodied than the PHC. I think it's worth the $20 premium over the PHC. I loved the WLW '10, but in my recollection, it brings different things to the table than the PHC and Willet.

But yeah, that 17yr Willet (barrel 14A) is some really, really good uncut/unfiltered bourbon.

[clingman71]

Is the current Party Source Willett 17 still a wheater? I've heard that the newer Vintage 17s are also wheaters.

First: How can you tell if a bottle of Vintage 17 is a wheater or not?

Second: what's the difference between the wheated V 17 and the PS Willett 17?

Third: any idea where either of these wheaters were distilled?

I read the comparison of the PS willett 17 to PHC10. Any comparisons between either Vintage 17 or PS Willett 17 and PVW 15 or JPS17? Ironically, the JPS 17 is the only one with a seemingly defined provenance.

I know that I can get the PS Willett 17 and/or the JPS 17, PVW is obviously difficult to get, just trying to get as much info as possible to make an "educated" decision.

[bad_scientist]

I don't know about Vintage, but I can think of at least 4 Willett 17 yr old bottlings in the past year, and they're all wheaters. My guess is that they were distilled either at Bernheim or BT, given the 1993 distillation dates. I wonder if they weren't good enough for some younger bottlings and got better after longer in the barrel. Or maybe they're simply good at higher proof and not as good at the lower proof of the other bottlings.

Is the current Party Source Willett 17 still a wheater? I've heard that the newer Vintage 17s are also wheaters.

First: How can you tell if a bottle of Vintage 17 is a wheater or not?

Second: what's the difference between the wheated V 17 and the PS Willett 17?

Third: any idea where either of these wheaters were distilled?

I read the comparison of the PS willett 17 to PHC10. Any comparisons between either Vintage 17 or PS Willett 17 and PVW 15 or JPS17? Ironically, the JPS 17 is the only one with a seemingly defined provenance.

I know that I can get the PS Willett 17 and/or the JPS 17, PVW is obviously difficult to get, just trying to get as much info as possible to make an "educated" decision.

[hectic1]

BT wasn't distilling wheaters in 1993...

[birdman1099]

BT wasn't distilling wheaters in 1993...

Maybe not BT.. but I believe AA was making wheated juice in the early 90's....

but I agree.... All the 1993 distilled wheated juice that is floating around is Bernheim.

[bad_scientist]

BT wasn't distilling wheaters in 1993...

D'oh! Not the first or last time people who know better must be wincing to read my posts When did BT start?

[OscarV]

D'oh! Not the first or last time people who know better must be wincing to read my posts When did BT start?

See Scott's post above yours?

AA aka Acient Age, the name before BT, was distilling wheated bourbon to sell in bulk.

BT started making it for themselves when they acquired the WL Weller labels from S-W or National or who ever the heck was holding it.:confused:

[bad_scientist]

See Scott's post above yours?

AA aka Acient Age, the name before BT, was distilling wheated bourbon to sell in bulk.

BT started making it for themselves when they acquired the WL Weller labels from S-W or National or who ever the heck was holding it.:confused:

Do you know when that was? I thought BT started around '93, because of the hubbub around PVW15 perhaps containing some BT stuff around 2008 or so (which turned out not to be true).

I didn't know about AA, so thanks for that info.

[White Dog]

Willet 17yr Wheaters are Bernheim. Take it to the bank.

[T Comp]

BT wasn't distilling wheaters in 1993...

Maybe not BT.. but I believe AA was making wheated juice in the early 90's....

but I agree.... All the 1993 distilled wheated juice that is floating around is Bernheim.

Do you know when that was? I thought BT started around '93, because of the hubbub around PVW15 perhaps containing some BT stuff around 2008 or so (which turned out not to be true).

I didn't know about AA, so thanks for that info.

Here is the link to the thread at post #49 with the photograph that, Randy/doubleblank/Bourbonian of the Year 2009, posted of a wheated Old Fitzgerald barrel stated to be distilled at DSP 113-Ancient Age nka Buffalo Trace and filled on 4/10/91. http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14552&page=5

[birdman1099]

Here is the link to the thread at post #49 with the photograph that, Randy/doubleblank/Bourbonian of the Year 2009, posted of a wheated Old Fitzgerald barrel stated to be distilled at DSP 113-Ancient Age nka Buffalo Trace and filled on 4/10/91. http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14552&page=5

Thanks for finding that Thad..... I knew it was out there somewhere....:grin:

[bad_scientist]

And I just read an old post :

In addition here is what Mike Veach had to say on Bourbon Enthusiast about when it was that Weller Special Reserve would have changed from Stitzel-Weller distillate to Buffalo Trace distillate. He also has a more detailed historic timeline on S-W on that site too.

"This is a difficult question to answer. Stitzel-Weller quit distilling in 1992. The bourbon for the Weller brands at 7 years old would in theory end in 1999, but there was such a glut of wheat whiskey made in the early 90's that they could continue to use older whiskey in the 7 year old product.

To complicate matters Bernheim made some wheat bourbon under U.D. but there was also some wheat bourbon made at Buffalo Trace in the early 90's for U.D. United Distillers had decided that they would take Rebel Yell world wide in the early 1990's and they made the whiskey with a goal to have it a million case product by the end of the decade. That did not happen so there was a sea of wheat recipe bourbon made at Stitzel-Weller, Bernheim and Buffalo Trace at the end of the decade. Buffalo Trace bought the brand in the late 90's (I think it was 1998) and I am sure part of the sale would be whiskey to support the brand for a few years until their own whiskey was ready. By 2001 the brand could have bourbon made from Stitzel-Weller or Bernheim or Buffalo Trace in the bottle."

so BT might well have been making some wheated bourbon in '92-'93.

[awachatz]

The Willett 17 sounds very interesting. I would definitely like to get my hands on a bottle.:grin: