Willett Pot Still Reserve is their most easily identifiable product, being the only whiskey I’ve ever seen that comes in a bottle designed as an “exact replica of the patented Willett pot still built by Vendome Copper and Brass.” I finally got to see that famed still in person just a few weeks ago and it is pretty cool to stand next to. The whiskey in this iconic bottle is a wheated bourbon, made of 65% corn, 20% wheat, and 15% barley. It enters the barrel at 115 proof and is bottled at 94 proof (47% ABV). The bottle I have in front of me notes that it is a Small Batch Bourbon, as well, with this being part of Batch 24C15.
The Willett Pot Still Reserve was medium-amber in my glass, with legs that developed quickly and ran fast after I swirled the liquid around. Not terribly surprising for 94 proof. Rolling the glass brought out notes of butterscotch and vanilla, while repeated sniffing revealed light oak, apples, and a little of wheat funkiness. Taking a sip, I got a candied fruit note right up front, followed by some cinnamon spiciness, and other baking spice. The finish was a lingering peppery tingle. On one subsequent sip I got a nice peanut butter note in the mix, too.
Mostly, Willett Pot Still Reserve is a very easy-to-drink and easy-to-enjoy bourbon. The low proof point helps to make it very approachable, but it also tends to point out the big flaw with this bourbon…at $50+, it’s really just too expensive. It’s more than double the price of Maker’s Mark, a comparable wheated bourbon at a comparable proof point…it’s actually more expensive than Maker’s Cask Strength bottling, which is generally fantastic. How much of it is because of the iconic bottle? That’s impossible to say, but it’s not $0. If it retailed closer to $35/bottle, I’d be in on this pour on a regular basis.
