Willett Family Pot Still Reserve

[dougdog]

or just tell me they're not going to tell me,

Isn't that the same as keeping the source secret?...

[cowdery]

Isn't that the same as keeping the source secret?...

Yes, but it's not the same as claiming that you are required by the distiller to keep the source secret, which is what I've been talking about. If they say, "I don't want to tell you," they are at least taking responsibility for the secrecy, not pretending that they'd like to tell me but their hands are tied.

As I said, I don't like to be treated like a chump. I'd like to know the source and I don't think much of them for refusing to tell me, but I give them points for owning their silence. I think even less of them if they pretend that they can't tell me when the truth is that they choose not to.

Back on the actual subject of this thread, I notice that Drew does not claim that it is a pot-distilled product and seems to be saying that the justification for the name is the pot still shape of the bottle, not the way the whiskey was made.

Many people here have come back at me with the argument that "who cares if it's good whiskey?" There is some truth to that. Part of my reason for arguing for transperancy is that the most highly regarded single malts all come from known distilleries and that type of obfuscation is not well tolerated by single malt enthusiasts. I think that for American whiskey to take its rightful place among the world's great spirits, its producers need to be similarly transparent. Independent bottlers should identify themselves as such and be proud enough of their products to tell the truth about them.

We're not children and we don't need to be told that our whiskeys are made by elves in a hollow tree.

[OscarV]

Yeah, a big what he said!

[jburlowski]

We're not children and we don't need to be told that our whiskeys are made by elves in a hollow tree.

But Beam's been using the same elves since 1795....

[DrinkyBanjo]

Yes, but it's not the same as claiming that you are required by the distiller to keep the source secret, which is what I've been talking about. If they say, "I don't want to tell you," they are at least taking responsibility for the secrecy, not pretending that they'd like to tell me but their hands are tied.

As I said, I don't like to be treated like a chump. I'd like to know the source and I don't think much of them for refusing to tell me, but I give them points for owning their silence. I think even less of them if they pretend that they can't tell me when the truth is that they choose not to.

Back on the actual subject of this thread, I notice that Drew does not claim that it is a pot-distilled product and seems to be saying that the justification for the name is the pot still shape of the bottle, not the way the whiskey was made.

Many people here have come back at me with the argument that "who cares if it's good whiskey?" There is some truth to that. Part of my reason for arguing for transperancy is that the most highly regarded single malts all come from known distilleries and that type of obfuscation is not well tolerated by single malt enthusiasts. I think that for American whiskey to take its rightful place among the world's great spirits, its producers need to be similarly transparent. Independent bottlers should identify themselves as such and be proud enough of their products to tell the truth about them.

We're not children and we don't need to be told that our whiskeys are made by elves in a hollow tree.

So this ISN'T all Pot Still or we do not know either way?

[cowdery]

At this point we don't know for sure but it likely is not. If it were, that would really raise the question of who made it, since nobody to my knowledge has made an all-pot-still straight bourbon since before Prohibition except, of course, Woodford Reserve.

It's pretty well established that the Hirsch, while terrific, is not all-pot-still. Since virtually all bourbon is doubled in what technically is a pot still, using the term "pot still" on a straight bourbon is technically accurate, though misleading. It looks like in this case this product is conventionally-made bourbon and the reference in the name is to the bottle shape, not to the origin of the contents.

[Gregg822]

WILLETT FAMILY RESERVE BOURBON/WHISKEY - eBay (item 120222925654 end time Feb-22-08 11:50:43 PST) There is a bottle on ebay if anyone wants to pay a premium.

[birdman1099]

Thats crazy !!!!

I see it is from the same barrell mine are from.

Does anyone know how many barrells they actually bottled?

[Vange]

Where can this be purchased? Only Kent?

[jeff]

But it's a real pot still Bottle:bigeyes:

[Kendall]

I saw this in Lexington on monday,I THINK it was around $36.00, they had several bottles.

[razerburnt]

In Lou. for 34.95. The stores that carried it said they didn't get many and that was it for the first batch. I called quite a few and the only stores to carry it that I found were the Liquor Barn's. The rest never heard of it. I stated on a diff. post that I picked up several bottles for other sb'ers in case of no availability in their area.

Randy.

[jburlowski]

I believe I paid $33.95 (or there abouts) for mine in Northern KY.

[SBOmarc]

I walked into a newly opened BevMo here in SoCal and low and behold there it was...at $44. Once I got over the shock that something new found its way to of all places California, I had a discussion with myself on to buy or not to buy.

Of course I did.

[birdman1099]

Well now that it seems like there are several people that have aquired this bottling, lets hear some tasting notes !!!!!

[pepcycle]

It's now available at Thoroughbred and Liquor Barn in Lexington.

I don't think this is going to be as limited as we first thought.

[Tom Troland]

The Willett Estate Reserve Single Barrel bourbon makes no claim for pot distillation other than implicitly by the cute shape of the bottle. As John Hansell of Malt Advocate says, the bourbon is well balanced and graceful. There are citrus notes and a light touch of oak, the former makes me suspect it is a Heaven Hill product. The labeling coyly suggests the usual KBD fiction that the whiskey comes from a small family distillery, in this case, the Willett Distillery. The hang tag on the bottle provides a suitable creation myth, claiming that the Willetts were brandy distillers in France before the early 1600s. The proof? There is a Place Willette in Paris. There is nothing wrong with this whiskey. Nonetheless, whiskey of similar style and at least equivalent quality is available more cheaply; consider, for example, Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage. Chuck Cowdery is right. American whiskey will be all grown up once there is more transparency in labeling. The Willett Estate Reserve pours from the same giant industrial stills that make virtually all American whiskey, including the very best of it. But you would never guess this provenance from the labels on the Willett bottle.

[wadewood]

The Willett Estate Reserve Single Barrel bourbon makes no claim for pot distillation other than implicitly by the cute shape of the bottle. As John Hansell of Malt Advocate says, the bourbon is well balanced and graceful. There are citrus notes and a light touch of oak, the former makes me suspect it is a Heaven Hill product. The labeling coyly suggests the usual KBD fiction that the whiskey comes from a small family distillery, in this case, the Willett Distillery. The hang tag on the bottle provides a suitable creation myth, claiming that the Willetts were brandy distillers in France before the early 1600s. The proof? There is a Place Willette in Paris. There is nothing wrong with this whiskey. Nonetheless, whiskey of similar style and at least equivalent quality is available more cheaply; consider, for example, Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage. Chuck Cowdery is right. American whiskey will be all grown up once there is more transparency in labeling. The Willett Estate Reserve pours from the same giant industrial stills that make virtually all American whiskey, including the very best of it. But you would never guess this provenance from the labels on the Willett bottle.

Tom - Nice first post! after joining 18 months ago, welcome to the board.

[jburlowski]

As I have said here previously, this is a good-to-very-good bourbon whose distinguishing feature (for me) is a citrusy sweetness. A very nice pour in an exceptionally (FWIW) package.

[Tom Troland]

Wadewood - Thank you for your kind greeting!

[ACDetroit]

It's now available at Thoroughbred and Liquor Barn in Lexington.

I don't think this is going to be as limited as we first thought.

Hey Ed, I called Sal after reading this original post and asked him to get this for me and then a member asked where I got it so I PM'd him and Sal ordered another case! He ordered one more for the Store shelves but I would not say this will be around for long! The last I spoke with Sal he said he would not be able to get much more so order as much as you want now. I have enough for myself so get it while it lasts!

Tony

[BkBlue]

I'm coming down to Louisville from NYC next week and was wondering where is expected to still have this Willlett bottling in stock. None of the NYC retails have it yet (LeNell's included) and are unsure when to expect it.

thanks!

[jburlowski]

Don't know about Louisville, but the Party Source (just across the river from Cincinnati in KY) had a good supply as of last Saturday.

[BkBlue]

Is that on the riverfront in Covington? I think we'll be up that way mid-week to visit the in-laws, so will check it out. I'll have to remember to hit Cork & Bottle as well. Thanks, jburlowski!

[jburlowski]

It's near the riverfront just west of the I-471 bridge.