Willett Pot Still Reserve

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 47% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

The bottle shape is part of the story of Willett Pot Still Reserve: it reproduces the patented still built for Willett by Vendome Copper and Brass. This small batch bourbon is made from 65% corn, 20% wheat and 15% barley. Alongside corn, wheat rather than rye therefore plays a central role in its grain recipe.

The whiskey matures for four to six years in new American oak barrels with a Char #4 interior. The barrels come from the Independent Stave Company’s Kentucky cooperage. Its alcohol strength is 57.5% before maturation and 47% at bottling. The bourbon is neither chill-filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, vanilla and caramelised sugar mingle with tapioca and thyme, joined by the aroma of lemon cake.
• Palate: On the palate, the bourbon recalls lemon and poppy seed cake and has a slightly dusty quality. Caramel, vanilla, spices and citrus notes round out the flavours.
• Finish: The long finish reveals subtle hints of cane sugar and coffee.

Distillery/Bottler:

Willett Distillery stands on the former family farm in Bardstown, Kentucky. Thompson Willett founded it in 1936, and the first barrel entered Warehouse A on St. Patrick’s Day 1937. Even and Martha Willett Kulsveen acquired the property in 1984. During the subsequent years without distillation of their own, the family further developed its expertise in selecting and blending purchased whiskeys. Distillation resumed on the property in 2012.

For Pot Still Reserve, Willett uses limestone-filtered spring water from its own property. Sour mash fermentation takes approximately three to five days in stainless steel vessels, using a proprietary yeast culture. This is followed by double distillation in a copper and stainless steel column still and a copper pot still made by Vendome. Production thus combines both distillation methods.

Facts: