Willett Family Pot Still Reserve

[Sijan]

Just saw this on the shelves today at Central Liquor in DC. It was $42.99, but they are almost always wildly overpriced, so I took a pass. Hopefully some other places in the area with more reasonable pricing will carry it.

[jburlowski]

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

Terrible (and a likely cry for help) to quote my own posting but... I should have said "just east of the I-471 bridge".

[cigarnv]

Just picked up a bottle in Maryland (by the Delaware boader) for $36.99

[Sijan]

Malt Advocate reviews this whiskey in their forthcoming issue:

90 Willett Single Barrel Estate Reserve, Barrel # A-4614, 47%, $35

Bottled in a glass pot still decanter. Soft and elegant on the nose and palate, and very well balanced. An incredibly drinkable whiskey. There’s no age statement on the bottle, but it was bottled at just the right time, based on its great balance of flavors. Notes of vanilla, coconut, and crème brulee provide a base for emerging notes of cedar wood shavings, cinnamon, soft mint, and a hint of fennel. A very graceful bourbon.

[HighTower]

Malt Advocate reviews this whiskey in their forthcoming issue:

90 Willett Single Barrel Estate Reserve, Barrel # A-4614, 47%, $35

Bottled in a glass pot still decanter. Soft and elegant on the nose and palate, and very well balanced. An incredibly drinkable whiskey. There’s no age statement on the bottle, but it was bottled at just the right time, based on its great balance of flavors. Notes of vanilla, coconut, and crème brulee provide a base for emerging notes of cedar wood shavings, cinnamon, soft mint, and a hint of fennel. A very graceful bourbon.

Certainly makes me want a bottle!!

Scott

[Sijan]

I found a bottle today at Schneider's at a slightly more reasonable price than Central Liquors, so I picked one up. Prob won't be trying it out tonight, but perhaps this weekend.

[felthove]

Found one of these while on travel last week in CA. I picked up a (non-cloying) sweetness on the palate (similar to OGB BIB) along with citrus and some yeastiness. Tastes young. Has a smooth finish (and lacks the rye zing, ended the comparison to OGD) and in the end is a round, very tasty, but not very complex bourbon. I am looking forward to drinking more and would consider it a good, high second tier pour with a first tier price. Would I buy it again? I'll have to see how it grows on me. I just haven't had enough to comment as of yet.

[gr8erdane]

Somehow I was able to transport this bottling home with me from the Sampler and the bottle is indeed exquisite. It was very fragile looking though and I fretted during the entire flight home up until I opened my suitcase and produced the intact bottle. It now resides on top of my shrine next to the White Bison....

[mozilla]

I doubt anyone has asked Drew that same question more than I…

So, without regard to a specific date, I posed the question as to what to look for in the construction process that would indicate distillation was imminent?

(BTW, these days, weather permitting, there are more construction workers on the property than there are distillery staff, including the bottling hall crew. As a result, there is a lot of progress on a daily basis compared to that of the last 20 years. I hope not to get in trouble for posting the progress, but, the steam pipe is in place for the stills and doublers and cooker. The SS processing pipe is now being installed to the rest of the support equipment. Electricals and motors/pumps are now setting in place ready to go. The floor in the beer still tower is almost finished…one no longer takes their life in their hands to get the view from the top floor outlook. The additional copper sections of the beer still and the condensers are all hanging in place to suggest the main components is all there. The grain distribution and milling equipment is currently being finalized.… Brick work and stone work is moving along and is quite beautiful. But those are more finishing touches for the tourist that will someday be able to view the process…I digress)

I’m looking for the installation of the fuel tank for the boiler (it goes in the ground)...then we’re getting’ close!

I’m hoping for an early spring…and the ground will thaw soon…as I wipe the drool from my chin in anticipation of that first spirit to flow from the “pipeâ€. In the meantime I’ll just drink my Kool-Aid or some Feckin Whiskey.

BTW, for those that don’t/can’t have the opportunity to visit, the family is not tearing down any of the original buildings. (It would most definitely be less expensive scrape off the old to build the new) They are gutting out and refurbishing to bring the existing structures up to the current building codes in an effort to maintain the history and charm that was the “Original Willettâ€

Got a little update from Willetts:

Things are proceeding slowly right now. A plumbing specialist is fitting pipe throughout the facility. Just one fellow....the interesting part is that he commutes 2 hours to Bardstown everyday to fit the pipes.

Even at the early stages of fabrication the facility has a majestic beauty to it. They are using lots of stone and wood in their restoration and buildings.

As far as the stills go.....they are probably the most interesting in the state. The pot still is cartoon like in it's size. Just imagine the oversized mallet that cartoonist pull out of their pocket to smash Daffy Duck over the head. That is what the pot still looks like....it's huge! Maybe it's that I have never seen a full size model before....but this thing is really big. The one at BT looks like a easy bake oven compared to this one. Anyway...the main still is actually the still from the distillery in Juarez, Mexico(I forget who's...seems like some of the Beam's took it there(waterfill & frazier?))...it is very narrow but tall. It uses a beer heater which is at the top floor next to the still. In the same building as the main still is the doubler. I don't remember much about it, though there was a story. The interesting situation that has been created there is that they can distill in any combination of directions. From still #1 to still #2 or vice versa then to the doubler or in any direction that is desired.

They are a good ways from pumping out their own product. Like most things in Ky....they are maturing at their own pace.

[Rughi]

Got a little update from Willetts:

...Anyway...the main still is actually the still from the distillery in Juarez, Mexico(I forget who's...seems like some of the Beam's took it there(waterfill & frazier?))...

Jeff,

I've heard both of these stories and believe they are both true - that KBD got their column still from Mexico and that some of the Beams took a still down to Mexico during prohibition. But I've never heard the stories strung together as being the same still.

That's a pretty cool story (the prodigal still comes home) if it's so.

Roger

[mozilla]

I recieved my info strait from the horses mouth....while standing a foot or two away from the still. It definately does not look like any of the other stills I have seen at Barton, BT, Turkey or Four Roses.

Just a guess....maybe that's why the pot still is so important to Drew. The main still is a little undersized and might not produce the flavors desired or the volume desired. **my guess though**

[boone]

Jeff,

I've heard both of these stories and believe they are both true - that KBD got their column still from Mexico and that some of the Beams took a still down to Mexico during prohibition. But I've never heard the stories strung together as being the same still.

That's a pretty cool story (the prodigal still comes home) if it's so.

Roger

Right after prohibition my great grandfather Joseph L. Beam dismantled a distillery (Waterfill and Frazier) and moved it to Mexico. He took my grandfather Harry Milburn Beam with him :grin: :grin: :grin: They produced there for four years. He (Joseph L.) came back to Bardstown and ran for Jailer---won the seat---and was re-elected the following term unopposed :grin: :grin: The jailer lived on the premises. This famous old jail is right in the heart of downtown Bardstown, beside the Talbot Tavern. It's now Jailer's Inn Bed and Breakfast. I've posted a picture with my entire family of Beam distiller's in the front of this historic building. It was taken in the mid 30's. You will find it here---> http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8464&postcount=1

[Rughi]

I remember that post, Bettye Jo, it's one of the precious things that you bring to us. For anyone who's newer to the forum, Randy Doubleblank's thread on the procurement of some of that product brought out more discussion of this great story.

Bettye Jo, do you know if the Willett still is the same one that your grandfather took down to Mexico? What I had heard is that it had been use as a tequila still, but that doesn't prove or disprove its origins.

Roger

[cowdery]

I believe the Willett still is a duplicate of the one Joe and Harry Beam took to Mexico. The original was replaced, by Vendome, when it was exhausted. Copper stills give up their copper and eventually become too thin to work. Vendome has it and would like to find it a good home, i.e., in a museum.

[boone]

I remember that post, Bettye Jo, it's one of the precious things that you bring to us. For anyone who's newer to the forum, Randy Doubleblank's thread on the procurement of some of that product brought out more discussion of this great story.

Bettye Jo, do you know if the Willett still is the same one that your grandfather took down to Mexico? What I had heard is that it had been use as a tequila still, but that doesn't prove or disprove its origins.

Roger

Hi Roger :grin:

Several years ago someone contacted me and told me that the "thumper" used in Pop Beams distillery in Mexico was at President of Vendome's home :bigeyes: :bigeyes: They also told me that he would "probably" give it to me (if I asked) because it was part of my family history. Before I ventured into anything I tried my best to find a home for it.

No one wanted it

Hard to believe

I will assume that it's still there.