Willett Purple and Green top

[ptman2000]

This is the first year I’ve really noticed older Willett popping up in my market. I saw the normal 7 and 8 year rye’s.
 

but then there were some purple and green top’s that had various names on them and could’ve been single barrels.
 

what is the deal with those and how do they differ from the “normal” offerings?

 

[RWBadley]

Wowza you’re lucky. If the price is reasonable just buy it, it’s unlikely you’ll be disappointed 

[berto]

Some store or group gave their bottling a name.  That name doesn’t change what the contents taste like.  It does make it easier to hype up and sell on the black market.  It’s sticker collecting for grownups.  You’ll have to try it for yourself.  I think the house distilled rye is good but not worth a premium.  The house distilled bourbon didn’t do anything for me at a younger age and I’m unwilling to expend the effort or premium payment to see if more aged product has hit the mark.

[markandrex]

I can’t speak to the recent bottlings but 10+ years ago the WFE offerings (purple and green) were MGP juice and quite excellent.

[flahute]

21 hours ago, berto said:

Some store or group gave their bottling a name.  That name doesn’t change what the contents taste like.  It does make it easier to hype up and sell on the black market.  It’s sticker collecting for grownups.  You’ll have to try it for yourself.  I think the house distilled rye is good but not worth a premium.  The house distilled bourbon didn’t do anything for me at a younger age and I’m unwilling to expend the effort or premium payment to see if more aged product has hit the mark.

The bourbon gets better but it's still enough of a crapshoot that it's definitely not worth the premium.

[fishnbowljoe]

3 hours ago, markandrex said:

I can’t speak to the recent bottlings but 10+ years ago the WFE offerings (purple and green) were MGP juice and quite excellent.

Back in the day, I thought that it was generally accepted that most of Willetts distillate came from HH. There was even muffled jokes that Willett saved a little money because all they had to do was go across the street to get their barrels.  
 

While Willett did have a non-disclosure agreement about the provenance of their distillate, I did find out the distillery that did one of their barrels. Just before the Sampler one year, a store in Bardstown did a Willet pick. They had a bottle open, and it was available to taste. (For a few folks anyway.) I had a taste and remarked that it was very good, but that it didn’t taste like HH juice. The store owner smiled and whispered to me that it wasn’t from HH. It came from BF.  

 

Biba! Joe

[Bob_Loblaw]

8 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

The store owner smiled and whispered to me that it wasn’t from HH. It came from BF.  

 

Biba! Joe

I had the same impression Joe, that most of the old Willett was HH. Very interesting.

 

Semi related but I had a small pour of M20 last year and felt like it fit squarely into the BF profile. But who knows? 

[PaulO]

22 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

Back in the day, I thought that it was generally accepted that most of Willetts distillate came from HH. There was even muffled jokes that Willett saved a little money because all they had to do was go across the street to get their barrels.  
 

While Willett did have a non-disclosure agreement about the provenance of their distillate, I did find out the distillery that did one of their barrels. Just before the Sampler one year, a store in Bardstown did a Willet pick. They had a bottle open, and it was available to taste. (For a few folks anyway.) I had a taste and remarked that it was very good, but that it didn’t taste like HH juice. The store owner smiled and whispered to me that it wasn’t from HH. It came from BF.  

 

Biba! Joe

I can't recall who said this (someone on this site years ago).  Back when all the WFE barrels were sourced, Willett supposedly had barrels from all but one of Kentucky's major distilleries aging in their warehouses.

HH as a major source is a recurring theme.

I never heard who the one distiller was that never sent a barrel to Willett.

 

When I started to get interested in Bourbon, passed on multiple WFEs @ $35 or so.  I didn't know what it was, and about $10 more than anything else I was buying.  That ship has sailed. 

[Kyjd75]

18 hours ago, PaulO said:

I can't recall who said this (someone on this site years ago).  Back when all the WFE barrels were sourced, Willett supposedly had barrels from all but one of Kentucky's major distilleries aging in their warehouses.

HH as a major source is a recurring theme.

I never heard who the one distiller was that never sent a barrel to Willett.

 

When I started to get interested in Bourbon, passed on multiple WFEs @ $35 or so.  I didn't know what it was, and about $10 more than anything else I was buying.  That ship has sailed. 

Tell me about it.  You could also drive to the gift shop at Willett and buy bottles of any age WFE that you desired, bourbon or rye, at prices that today make me wish I had bought them all.  I remember one day in particular waiting to buy some bottles at Willett and Doug Phillips came in right behind me (I knew Doug well enough that we knew each other's name and our mutual interest in bourbon so we had a nice conversation discussing the various bottles).  Those were indeed some of the good ole days for bourbon enthusiasts.

Edited October 26, 2022 by Kyjd75

[fishnbowljoe]

7 minutes ago, Kyjd75 said:

Tell me about it.  You could also drive to the gift shop at Willett and buy bottles of any age WFE that you desired, bourbon or rye, at prices that today make me wish I had bought them all.  I remember one day in particular waiting to buy some bottles at Willett and Doug Phillips came in right behind me (I knew Doug well enough that we knew each other's name and our mutual interest in bourbon so we had a nice conversation discussing the various bottles).  Those were indeed some of the good ole days for bourbon enthusiasts.

 

Have you by chance heard from Doug lately?  I haven’t seen him since 2013-2014, and he hasn’t been on the site in over 5 years.
 

Biba! Joe

[Kyjd75]

31 minutes ago, fishnbowljoe said:

 

Have you by chance heard from Doug lately?  I haven’t seen him since 2013-2014, and he hasn’t been on the site in over 5 years.
 

Biba! Joe

Regrettably, I have not.  Doug used to visit E'town frequently and would often stop in at Packages and More, which is where I first met him.  Heck of a nice guy, but I have not seen nor heard from him for awhile now.

[fishnbowljoe]

16 minutes ago, Kyjd75 said:

Regrettably, I have not.  Doug used to visit E'town frequently and would often stop in at Packages and More, which is where I first met him.  Heck of a nice guy, but I have not seen nor heard from him for awhile now.

Thanks @Kyjd75. He used to host get togethers at his place during the Sampler and KBF. Always a fun time. Something happened one time and he stopped having the get togethers. I also knew he used to help out the Kulsveens at Willett from time to time with woodworking and cabinetry. 
 

Biba! Joe

[ptman2000]

So really there isn’t too much difference in say a 7 yo bourbon that’s called X and one that’s called Y?

 

all 7 yo Willett juice. 
 

I have heard that this is their own juice and that the rye is better than the bourbon. 
 

got this one at retail but also did pick up a 7 yo bourbon as well but paid more than I should’ve for it unfortunately 

[PaulO]

2 hours ago, ptman2000 said:

So really there isn’t too much difference in say a 7 yo bourbon that’s called X and one that’s called Y?

 

all 7 yo Willett juice. 
 

I have heard that this is their own juice and that the rye is better than the bourbon. 
 

got this one at retail but also did pick up a 7 yo bourbon as well but paid more than I should’ve for it unfortunately 

I'm by no means the Willett expert, or one to fan the flames, but I believe they have multiple different mash bills they have made or are making.  Then there are possibilities of warehouse placement for aging.

On the other hand, accounting all variables the same, could have barrels tasting alike.  

[flahute]

Willett is indeed distilling a variety of mashbills including low and high rye bourbons and a wheated as well as a rye. Anything 9-10 yrs or less is their own.

Despite the different mashbills all of the bourbon tends to be dominated by a red hot cinnamon flavor that you either love or hate. The rye tends to cut through that flavor which is why you hear people saying it's better. I generally like the rye better. As the bourbon gets older that cinnamon flavor recedes a bit but can still be there in some.

[Kyjd75]

I have had some 8 yr Willett bourbon (unknown mashbill) WFE that was very good.  I've also had some 6 yr Willett rye that was outstanding, as good as any rye I've ever had.  I would agree that as of now the Willett rye is the prize over their bourbon, but as their bourbons age, I predict they will become prized as well.

[Kepler]

These are among the worst values in American whiskey.  Don't fall for them.

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Kepler

[PhantomLamb]

12 hours ago, flahute said:

Willett is indeed distilling a variety of mashbills including low and high rye bourbons and a wheated as well as a rye. Anything 9-10 yrs or less is their own.

Despite the different mashbills all of the bourbon tends to be dominated by a red hot cinnamon flavor that you either love or hate. The rye tends to cut through that flavor which is why you hear people saying it's better. I generally like the rye better. As the bourbon gets older that cinnamon flavor recedes a bit but can still be there in some.

Yep, this exactly. The cinnamon almost had an astringent character to it but their rye is divine. 
 

The newer Willett I have is almost not drinkable and will be used in cocktails. Their older stocks will be a fortune though so I guess I’ll never find out.

[Jazz June]

There are people whose palates/opinions I respect who pay the crazy prices for Willett distilled picks, but I just don't get it. The reputation was built on the sourced WFE bottles, which were often amazing. But then the pricing created by those sourced barrels seemed to carry over to Willett distilled stuff without many people questioning it. And that to me is mystifying/crazy. I have had Willett distilled 9 year and down bourbon and rye (add me to the camp preferring the rye). Some of it is pretty good, but do people pay these prices for any other similar stat bourbons/ryes in a different bottle? Maybe there are a few comparables: Stagg Jr. picks, the younger Van Winkle and BTAC expressions, but not many. For example, a Willett pick and a Four Roses barrel strength pick are both BP/NCF in a similar age range, why is Willett several times more "valuable" than Four Roses? Easy pass for me. Don't get me wrong, Willett is well ahead of almost all other "craft" distilleries (which is what I consider them), but they are not the best distillery in America to my taste buds. They have distilled good stuff and may well turn out truly exceptional stuff one day, but I'm not sure they will catch up to the hype for a long long time.

[GeeTen]

Ha - you guys are "skinflints".  Just got done with the most recent Bonham Skinner Auction and bought three (3) classic WIllett Bourbons - "Aged Truth"  11yr ($9,375), "Wheated Patriot" (my personal favorite) 21 yr ($16, 250), and "Wheated Warrior) 21 yr ($20,00).  N.B. - all prices included the 25% premium for The House"!

 

 

Just kidding - but the auction prices are real and I have tried samples of each of them (albeit really, really small samples) at a Loch & K(e)y Society "Unicorn" tasting a few years ago.  They were all fantastic, too!  Now, be honest - how many of all y'all wanted to be my adopted heirs, eh?   

 

Edited October 31, 2022 by GeeTen

[fishnbowljoe]

1 hour ago, GeeTen said:

 

 

Just kidding - but the auction prices are real and I have tried samples of each of them (albeit really, really small samples) at a Loch & K(e)y Society "Unicorn" tasting a few years ago.  They were all fantastic, too!  Now, be honest - how many of all y'all wanted to be my adopted heirs, eh?   

 

Hmmmm. I always thought that the Chinese and Irish are cousins. Can you adopt a cousin, cuz?

 

Biba! Joe

[Kjbarth]

1 hour ago, GeeTen said:

Ha - you guys are "skinflints".  Just got done with the most recent Bonham Skinner Auction and bought three (3) classic WIllett Bourbons - "Aged Truth"  11yr ($9,375), "Wheated Patriot" (my personal favorite) 21 yr ($16, 250), and "Wheated Warrior) 21 yr ($20,00).  N.B. - all prices included the 25% premium for The House"!

 

 

Just kidding - but the auction prices are real and I have tried samples of each of them (albeit really, really small samples) at a Loch & K(e)y Society "Unicorn" tasting a few years ago.  They were all fantastic, too!  Now, be honest - how many of all y'all wanted to be my adopted heirs, eh?   

 

Oh, how gullible am I? Reading the first half of your post and then closely looking at the pics I’m thinking to myself, no way is Frank spending that doh and then opening and drinking. Followed by, his kids inheritance just got a bit smaller. (because I assume they don’t share your hobby) Sorry, just where my thoughts went…..

[PaulO]

5 hours ago, GeeTen said:

Ha - you guys are "skinflints".  Just got done with the most recent Bonham Skinner Auction and bought three (3) classic WIllett Bourbons - "Aged Truth"  11yr ($9,375), "Wheated Patriot" (my personal favorite) 21 yr ($16, 250), and "Wheated Warrior) 21 yr ($20,00).  N.B. - all prices included the 25% premium for The House"!

 

 

Just kidding - but the auction prices are real and I have tried samples of each of them (albeit really, really small samples) at a Loch & K(e)y Society "Unicorn" tasting a few years ago.  They were all fantastic, too!  Now, be honest - how many of all y'all wanted to be my adopted heirs, eh?   

 

Dating these, they would be barrels sourced from other distilleries (not made by Willett).

They probably do taste good.  It just makes me want to go to the original source, and buy some of the higher end stuff bottled under their own label.  Skip the middle man.  25% premium for The House - dang.  Isn't 10% the norm.

It all reminds me of a story I saw on tv.  There's a restaurant in Las Vegas that served a $500 hamburger.

[GeeTen]

15 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

Hmmmm. I always thought that the Chinese and Irish are cousins. Can you adopt a cousin, cuz?

 

Biba! Joe

 

Sure - I'll send the paperwork.  

 

Frankie O'Ching from the County Beijing

 

[GeeTen]

11 hours ago, PaulO said:

It all reminds me of a story I saw on tv.  There's a restaurant in Las Vegas that served a $500 hamburger.

Been there but went with the real Kobe Wagyu sirloin strip for $2500.  NOT - hit the $9.95 buffet at the Golden Nugget Downtown instead!!  Had to pay for my tickets to the first Hagler/Leonard fight after a less than successful stay at the old MGM Grand.  

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by GeeTen