by Jay Erisman, EQ Wine and Spirits Manager
Not quite a year ago, I paid a visit to Drew Kulsveen and his father Evan at Willett Distillery, just outside Bardstown, Kentucky. While wading through many warehouses on a hot day, I took careful note of the fact that the Kulsveens had a mother lode of terrific Bourbons aging in the barrel, each one different from the last. This week, I’m pleased to say their supply has been somewhat depleted, as five, count ‘em 5 new Party Source Private Barrels have hit our shelves. Ranging from six to seventeen years old, these exciting whiskies are fun to drink and fun to think about as the flavors unfold one after the other.
Willett is the family distillery owned by the Kulsveens, who also operate as Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, responsible for a huge range of specialist Bourbon labels including Noah’s Mill, Kentucky Vintage, Johnny Drum and many more. Drew and Evan are in the process of restoring the actual distillery to full operation–and have a magnificent pot still on-site just begging to be fired up. But in the meantime, they are continuing their business as bottlers. They have just begun releasing some of their finest whiskies under the Willett Family Reserve label, including our Private Barrels.
Drew worked closely with us to deliver some smashing bottlings. As a quite small, entirely independent operation, they have the flexibility to deliver whatever we wanted in Bourbon. I wanted to present our customers with a chance to sample whiskey as we do in the industry–straight from the barrel, without dilution or filtration. Accordingly, these potent Bourbons range from surprisingly gentle 97.2º proof in the 17 year, to a thundering 147º in the 16 year.
Bottling without chill filtration or activated carbon filtration means these whiskies retain all the flavor and all the texture of the original juice in the barrel. I highly recommend drinking these with a splash of water (and in the case of the 16, make that a generous splash) to control the high proof and release all the aroma and flavor; though they are approachable straight up if you’re very careful.
The progression of the flavors through the range of ages is fascinating. For one thing, all these whiskeys favor dryness over sweetness; for those who find Bourbon too sweet, you might try a Willett. The Willett Six is youthful, without all the complexity of the older whiskies, but also ripe and rich and delicious to drink. The Seven (which yielded just 48 bottles) offers quite a step up with a multitude of flavors, while the Twelve is perhaps the all-around best, resting in a sweet spot between generous oak barrel aging and flavors of toasted nut skins, bitter chocolate, dark fruits and rye grain spice.
Which brings us to the old-timers. The Seventeen has to be one of the most curious Bourbon barrels I ever knew. It seems to have thought it was in Scotland, considering how it matured. Since distillation on December 26, 1990, it has lost proof, while retaining volume. It’s fat output of 168 bottles, at a relatively low alcohol of 48.6% ABV sounds more like a chilled-out Highland Scotch than a Bourbon barrel which has sweated through 17 Bardstown summers. The flavor is a riot (rye-ot?) of rye spice, which slowly builds throughout the palate to a tongue-numbing finish that sustains for many minutes.
And the Sixteen. This 147 proof heavyweight looks like liquid mahogany in the glass. It drinks like a distillate of uranium, so dense and and concentrated and large-scaled is the flavor. Extra water releases corn, walnut skin, plenty of oak though not too much tannin, black cherry skins and blue fruit, and a dusting of rye spice over the whole thing. This style of Bourbon is rarely seen, and usually gets blended away with less intense barrels; in fact, it could prove too much for some drinkers. But for those with a sense of adventure, put on your helmet for one hell of a ride.
If you’d like to try a bottle of each, while supplies last we will offer a five-pack bag of Willetts with a 5% discount. These Willett barrels will not last long, so don’t delay in picking your up. But rest assured The Party Source will find some more choice whiskeys in those warehouses. Believe me, there’s more where these came from.
Willett Six Year The Party Source $37.99
Willett Seven Year The Party Source $42.99
Willett Twelve Year The Party Source $59.99 (regular price $64.99)
Willett Sixteen Year The Party Source $72.99 (regular price $82.99)
Willett Seventeen The Party Source $79.99 (regular price $99.99)
The Willett Five-Pack Bag $279.25 while supplies of all five Bourbons last
