Willett Pot Still - How come we never discuss it?

[Halifax]

Just trying to add some fun to an otherwise tireless conversation boys. I'll never buy another bottle of WPS, but there is some damn fine bourbon that comes out of Willett. You can chose to accept it for what it is, and enjoy great bourbon in the process. Or you can bitch and moan and pull out all of the excuses not to. Hey... There's plenty of Jim Beam on the shelf last time I looked.

[callmeox]

Just trying to add some fun to an otherwise tireless conversation boys. I'll never buy another bottle of WPS, but there is some damn fine bourbon that comes out of Willett. You can chose to accept it for what it is, and enjoy great bourbon in the process. Or you can bitch and moan and pull out all of the excuses not to. Hey... There's plenty of Jim Beam on the shelf last time I looked.

Tireless to some, but the OP asked a question and got a number of different answers. Had folks ignored the question, been disingenuous with their answers or linked back to earlier threads the boo birds would have complained about members being unfriendly.

Participation in threads is voluntary with no posting quota here.

[Halifax]

...Participation in threads is voluntary with no posting quota here.

Glad I was of help then. Cheers...

[Gillman]

Okay I will answer the actual question and it deserves of course a straight response. (At the same time, thread drift is inevitable because one thing leads to another and it would be wrong IMO to foreclose discussion because someone sees a different aspect to the question, relevant to him, that the first poster didn't think of perhaps).

I drank it at a barbeque party, it was a lunch at that BBQ shack outside of Bardstown, not too far from Cliff's place I believe. I think Chuck had organised it and a pleasant interlude it was.

I thought the whiskey was very ordinary, and never had it again.

Gary

[tmckenzie]

I have never had any, on account of the price, I am a thrifty Scot to the core. But give KBD some time and I think we will see some fine stuff out of there better than what they bring in to bottle.

[CaptainQ]

But give KBD some time and I think we will see some fine stuff out of there better than what they bring in to bottle.

[squire]

Fortunately, I don't have to wait.

[deathevocation]

Bought a bottle this weekend and it's not bad at all. Price is pretty high, though all bourbon is priced too high in Australia.

[Richnimrod]

I don't hate the bottle as much also some apparently do. It is a bit pretentious, but hey I don't mind 'em trying to be different and to stand out on a retailer's shelf. The problem with the bottle becomes apparent when it gets home and you try to find a place for it.

As to the juice; I agree with the majority opinion, I guess. It's allright and I'd keep it around, if I could buy it for half the dough. I find it a bit too dry, and kinda 'crisp' which isn't right in my preference center. I'll reach for mine (still on my first bottle) once in a great while when I want a cleaner pour. Usually I grab something a bit woodier, and even a little 'musty' (nod to Darryld). I don't see me ever buying it again. Once I empty the darn bottle, I'll have to decide what, if anything, to put in it. Since I paid half of the purchase price for the it, it's hard to just toss it.

[squire]

Which is why I refuse to pay extra for packaging, be it bottle or box.

[doubleblank]

Fancy packaging on bourbon reminds me of my first encounter with the "Wonder Bra"...........WTF?

[GaryT]

Since buying my first in February, I'm putting a dent in it mostly as an effort to empty it - although I'm also not sure what to put in its place. Pouring from the bottle can be a bit of a pain (as it wants to "glug" if you aren't pouring really slowly). Otherwise, I'd use it for SB blend so it has some utility besides just being purty. Maybe one of those colored sand things? I'll be glad to have it out of the cabinet though as its wide base takes up disproportionate space (same thing with OFBB, although some years that has been a total bargain for the money!)

[WAINWRIGHT]

I personally have never really found anything to like about any of the total package.I find it nutty and buttery and not really in a good way,overpriced with a lot of other offerings in this bracket and the pot still/toilet plunger bottle is unattractive and a royal pain in the ass.I have enjoyed a lot of the other Willett offerings,but this one never has fit the bill for me.

[Danger]

To call it Pot Still is misleading because the Distilleries that could have made the whisky do not use Pot Stills.

No comment on the acerbic KBD hating, but I was disappointed that my 'pot still' bourbon had never seen the inside of a pot still, and I did feel mislead. But, hey, it had a great rich buttery mouthfeel and some nice flavors. I was happy to drink it. It was hard to pour out of the bottle, but come on, that's just too picky.

[squire]

To call my words 'acerbic' and 'hating' is making a comment.

[Grain Belt]

No comment on the acerbic KBD hating, but I was disappointed that my 'pot still' bourbon had never seen the inside of a pot still, and I did feel mislead. But, hey, it had a great rich buttery mouthfeel and some nice flavors. I was happy to drink it. It was hard to pour out of the bottle, but come on, that's just too picky.

[tanstaafl2]

I was disappointed that my 'pot still' bourbon had never seen the inside of a pot still, and I did feel mislead.

[squire]

Not really, the doubler serves a different function and is working with distillate that came out of a column still. The only major producer using a genuine pot still is Woodford and I believe all of their production goes into their own bottles.

[tanstaafl2]

Not really, the doubler serves a different function and is working with distillate that came out of a column still. The only major producer using a genuine pot still is Woodford and I believe all of their production goes into their own bottles.

[squire]

Of course it does, my point is it's purpose is to increase proof and the distillers who use them do not call their product pot stilled.

[tanstaafl2]

Of course it does, my point is it's purpose is to increase proof and the distillers who use them do not call their product pot stilled.

[macdeffe]

I visited Willet in the summer of 2012. The distillery was up and running. Here is a couple of photos of their "doubler" :-)

I tasted the newmake, it was a fine spirit in my opinion. I am a big fan of the Willet single barrels and we just got an importer in Denmark, importing a range of KBD and Willet products. I had the pleasure of servicing their stand at the recent danish whisky fair, and the danish importer also asked me to host a bourbon tasting with Willet/KBD products. Worst thing is that its hard to find info on their bottlings. They do a lot of single barrels and small batches. The Willet Pot Still is also single barrel. Some of their vattings are supposed to be a mix of mash bills

Steffen

[JB64]

I have tried Willett Pot Still bourbon and while I thought the whiskey tasted OK it is in my opinion not worth the price being charged, cool looking bottle or not. I remember a few years ago Maxim magazine had a ranking of the top bourbons and Willett Pot Still was on the list. Also on the list was Hudson baby bourbon along side GTS and PVW20. When it comes to putting a list of hot babes together Maxim does a good job, when listing great bourbons, not so much.

[brettckeen]

I enjoy this product from time to time when I'm in the mood. The pric epoint wasn't too high for me not to buy a bottle to make pours from. Do I drink it every day? No. Do I know the origins of the juice in the bottle no? Do I like the juice? Yes Do I tend to prefer the Single Barrel Estate bottlings? Yes

I don't understand all the hatred. I find them to be really nice people who have always delivered products that I have enjoyed.... from Johnny Drum to all the other expressions they have put out. I can't wait for their distillates to mature because of all the raving about the white dogs.

[Wryguy]

I enjoy this product from time to time when I'm in the mood. The pric epoint wasn't too high for me not to buy a bottle to make pours from. Do I drink it every day? No. Do I know the origins of the juice in the bottle no? Do I like the juice? Yes Do I tend to prefer the Single Barrel Estate bottlings? Yes

I don't understand all the hatred. I find them to be really nice people who have always delivered products that I have enjoyed.... from Johnny Drum to all the other expressions they have put out. I can't wait for their distillates to mature because of all the raving about the white dogs.

Here, here. I've been underwhelmed by the NAS Noah's Mill and Rowan's Creek, but overall I enjoy their products and I'm looking forward to mature expressions of their own distillate. Pretty much the best rectifiers in the game, have been for years IMO.