Willett 5yo vs. Redemption

[dean_martin]

I'm out of town for a seminar and found willett rye 5yo for $32 and redemption for 25. I plan to get a bourbon or 2 that's not available in my area. Neither of the ryes are available in my area but i don't think l'll get both. Which one? Or should this be an all rye trip. I've only hit half my stops so far. There's beer too. Need more booze money.

[LikeItWasSodaPop]

Willett without question.

Redemption is aged for "more than two years." Sheesh. Oh and bottled at a "bold" 92 proof.

The young LDI ryes Willett has been putting out have gotten a lot of love here for good reason.

The Redemption, not so much!

[dean_martin]

Willett without question.

Redemption is aged for "more than two years." Sheesh. Oh and bottled at a "bold" 92 proof.

The young LDI ryes Willett has been putting out have gotten a lot of love here for good reason.

The Redemption, not so much!

I found an old redemption thread after i posted. Not as many glowing comments compared to the willett threads. I had planned on spending most of my alcohol money on a premium bourbon but i never know what i'll find when i get out of alabama. It's been fun hitting all the liquor stores along the florida panhandle. (Well, not all of them. There's a liquor store in every strip mall.)

[LikeItWasSodaPop]

Some of them strip mall stores end up being the best. You really never know, and that's why you need to stop.

Happy hunting Dean!

[LikeItWasSodaPop]

Just to confirm the age statement for Redemption I went to their site, and found this really funny line:

"We bottle in small batches which allows us to leave the whiskey in the barrels longer for the most flavor and color."

Me, to wife: I screw other women in order to allow our marriage to have the most flavor and color.

Sorry, Redemption. There is no logical connection between small batch and age. Unless you think an age difference of a few hours or days matters.

I guess that stuff that's aged for 2 years and 3 days because they bottle in small batches really imparts the "most flavor and color."

What we really need is a "S&*% That NDPs And Micro Distillers Say" thread.

[White Dog]

SodaPop is right. Willett hands down.

[cigarnv]

Willett by a long shot!!

[PaulO]

I would definitely go with the Willett.

[Josh]

Buy the Willet and drink it. Buy the Redemption and give it to somebody you don't like.

[dean_martin]

Buy the Willet and drink it. Buy the Redemption and give it to somebody you don't like.

Thanks guys. You're a great source, especially while on the road.

[thezenone]

I had some of the Willett 5 yr on Saturday and it was very good. I've really been enjoying their ryes.

[dean_martin]

I had some of the Willett 5 yr on Saturday and it was very good. I've really been enjoying their ryes.

I picked up a bottle at the Wine World across from Destin Commons in Destin, FL. It looked like a whole case (or perhaps 2) was on the shelf. Interestingly, the bottles were the last series of bottles from a single barrel. I picked #203 of 204 (is that a low number of bottles per barrel?) - I don't know why. It just looked cool. But on the ride home I began to wonder whether there were any differences between bottle #1 and the last numbered bottle from a barrel. Is that obsessive thinking?

Anyhow, I appreciate the responses to my original post (and the prior threads on both the Willett 5yo and the Redemption).

[timd]

Willet (even the 3 & 4 year olds) at Barrel strength blow doors off the Redemption.

I've not had a 5yr yet, but my last late-4yr old is pretty good. Definitely worth the slight premium over Redemption, and a good example of the style to have int he bunker.

[White Dog]

I picked up a bottle at the Wine World across from Destin Commons in Destin, FL. It looked like a whole case (or perhaps 2) was on the shelf. Interestingly, the bottles were the last series of bottles from a single barrel. I picked #203 of 204 (is that a low number of bottles per barrel?) - I don't know why. It just looked cool. But on the ride home I began to wonder whether there were any differences between bottle #1 and the last numbered bottle from a barrel. Is that obsessive thinking?

Anyhow, I appreciate the responses to my original post (and the prior threads on both the Willett 5yo and the Redemption).

[White Dog]

Willet (even the 3 & 4 year olds) at Barrel strength blow doors off the Redemption.

I've not had a 5yr yet, but my last late-4yr old is pretty good. Definitely worth the slight premium over Redemption, and a good example of the style to have int he bunker.

[tmckenzie]

I picked up a bottle at the Wine World across from Destin Commons in Destin, FL. It looked like a whole case (or perhaps 2) was on the shelf. Interestingly, the bottles were the last series of bottles from a single barrel. I picked #203 of 204 (is that a low number of bottles per barrel?) - I don't know why. It just looked cool. But on the ride home I began to wonder whether there were any differences between bottle #1 and the last numbered bottle from a barrel. Is that obsessive thinking?

Anyhow, I appreciate the responses to my original post (and the prior threads on both the Willett 5yo and the Redemption).

[JayMonster]

I have yet to find a Willett, but compared to even Bulleit, Redemption is a far cry short. It is amazing to me that even taking age into consideration that these two were sired my the same still and mashbill. Redemption just has, to me, no (ironically enough) redeeming qualities.

[BFerguson]

Willet (even the 3 & 4 year olds) at Barrel strength blow doors off the Redemption.

I've not had a 5yr yet, but my last late-4yr old is pretty good. Definitely worth the slight premium over Redemption, and a good example of the style to have int he bunker.

Which begs the question, why haven't these guys(Redemption and whoever else you want to lump with them) wised up to this and marketed a small portion of what they do as "barrel strength"? The way people, not me, have gone ape for their current weak tasting offering, and the crazy prices they get for it already, they could probably jack up the price and really get the hipsters nuts for it with a "limited release" marketing, and crazy prices, and the rest of use can sit back and get a laugh out of it.

And if they do this, I'm staking my claim that it was all my idea and I want a chunk of the profits. Screw giving me free product, give me the cash to buy somebody else's decent rye. Not theirs.......

B

[MauiSon]

I picked up a bottle at the Wine World across from Destin Commons in Destin, FL. It looked like a whole case (or perhaps 2) was on the shelf. Interestingly, the bottles were the last series of bottles from a single barrel. I picked #203 of 204 (is that a low number of bottles per barrel?) - I don't know why.

Edited August 15, 2012 by MauiSon