Willett Family Estate distribution?

[squire]

I support any producer who is honest about their product.

[TunnelTiger]

and taste good, i just don't wamt to overpay for a memh product, which a lot of these non-distillers now have

[P&MLiquorsEric]

I have been lucky enough to sample 10-15 of the willett family estate bourbons of varying ages. Not once have I been disappointed in them. At times I thought they were a bit pricey (could have more to do with the retailer markup) but never did I think any of them were BAD bourbons. Whoever is tasting and diverting the best barrels into the family estate program is doing a fine job.

And to think that great "excess stock" barrels dont escape from distilleries is short sighted. When a place sells off hundreds at a time, they are not pulling samples from each one to make sure they sell off only the bad ones. A few years back, the big distillers may have been selling off more aged "good" stock for better prices than they are today.

[squire]

That's a reasonable premise Eric, speaking in lots of course. What I said was I don't think NDPs are allowed to go through the distillery warehouses, sampling and picking only the exceptional barrels.

In lots of hundreds of untested barrels there will be some exceptional ones, certainly, but what about all the rest, by definition unexceptional, they get bottled and sold as well, don't they?

[luther.r]

That's a reasonable premise Eric, speaking in lots of course. What I said was I don't think NDPs are allowed to go through the distillery warehouses, sampling and picking only the exceptional barrels.

In lots of hundreds of untested barrels there will be some exceptional ones, certainly, but what about all the rest, by definition unexceptional, they get bottled and sold as well, don't they?

In the case of KBD, having such a diverse product line with most all the price points covered, I would guess the best barrels go into the FE and the others go into their other lines as they see fit.

[Old Dusty]

In the case of KBD, having such a diverse product line with most all the price points covered, I would guess the best barrels go into the FE and the others go into their other lines as they see fit.

Which is why the only KBD products on my shelf are WFE. Don't know if your theory is correct, but I don't want to pay to find out.

[GaryT]

I've tasted some WFE bourbon that I thought was way over-priced, but I've had a lot of luck with the Johnny Drum Private Stock in terms of it being consistent. I understand it used to be age stated, but the few bottles I've had of the current stuff were very good. I mean, Robert Parker thought that Old Bardstown was a tad better than GTS and the 2012 PHC, and that guy knows his shit

[squire]

Old Bardstown gets extra points for the stylish label.

[MauiSon]

I would posit that NDPs support Distilling Producers by purchasing their product in quantities greater than the combined purchasing power of us here at SB.com. Certainly the Distilling Producers support this activity as they control it, how foolish would we be to suggest NDPs aren't promoting the health of the industry by siphoning existing capacity and thereby limiting new construction that is likely to lead to overcapacity again? The surviving producers know about these issues, so not supporting NDPs (which are supported by DPs) on principle appears counterproductive to the health of the industry.

Edited August 5, 2013 by MauiSon

[squire]

One feeds the other . . . the little guys are getting the public accustomed to paying $40.00 a bottle for four year old stock and the big boys are sitting on a lot of that stuff.

[p_elliott]

One feeds the other . . . the little guys are getting the public accustomed to paying $40.00 a bottle for four year old stock and the big boys are sitting on a lot of that stuff.

Scary Huh?..............

[squire]

Yeah, at least the big guys have sense enough to keep the price competitive on their standard brands.

[Infidel]

This is the main item I keep on hand for a good drink, my wife drinks as much or more of it.

I picked up an extra bottle of the 4 year, barrel #1, bottle #173/204 to trade for other single barrel etc... It's my second favorite of the following.

My favorite barrel was #10, the 43/44 a/b barrels were the least exciting, the 34 ahead of those.

Locally, there are three more (#1) on the shelves, and a #47 I haven't tried.

I pay $41.99 cash including tax.

I would pay $70 for a #10 (I'm really not tempted to write a 0 after the 1 to make it look like a 10). I drank 4 of those, gave two as gifts.

Single barrel is hit or miss. My experience with buying them is if I like the first bottle, I try again and again. But if I don't like, I don't give a second chance - to my detriment.

I've drawn well over 100 barrel samples when I was cleaning slop / cooking corn in exchange for experience. The random combination of oak staves and how that barrel turns out is something to experience.

There you go, the opinion of someone with half a dozen posts!

[squire]

Agree with the barrel differences, where did you work?

[Infidel]

where did you work?

[Old Lamplighter]

Been meaning to reply in this thread but always something else catching my attention. I wish I could comment on WFE from recent experience, but, it's been a long, long time since I've seen any Willett of any stripe in the west Tennessee areas I roam through. The last time I had any were thru a phone order from a retail source on the east coast...and that was quite a while ago.

[mbroo5880i]

I think they are beginning to run out of aged bourbon. I am enjoying a WFE 9 right now. I know of an 8 year at another store. Other than that, not much out there.