Willett Family Pot Still Reserve

Willett Family Pot Still Reserve is an 8-10 year bourbon bottled at 94 proof by Willett Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, the Nelson County town that anchors the state's bourbon heartland. The whiskey is aged in Willett's DSP-KY-78 warehouses and bottled in the distinctive pot-still decanter that's become one of the most recognizable silhouettes in American whiskey. While Willett built its modern reputation on sourced stock before firing up its own stills in 2012, this expression carries the bottler's house profile: restrained proof, extended barrel time, and a balance that favors complexity over heat. The Willett family has distilled in Bardstown since the mid-20th century, with the current operation helmed by Even Kulsveen and his sons Drew and Brent. The distillery runs a custom pot still—the very shape immortalized in the bottle's glass—alongside column stills, giving the team flexibility across mash bills and fermentation schedules. Bardstown's limestone-filtered water and the region's seasonal temperature swings drive barrel interaction; the 8-10 year window allows the whiskey to pull vanilla and tannin from new charred oak without tipping into over-extraction. Willett Distillery has become a pilgrimage site for bourbon collectors, and the pot-still bottle remains the entry point for drinkers discovering the family's broader range of single-barrel and cask-strength releases. The nose opens with floral notes—honeysuckle and orange blossom—before the palate delivers citrus peel, wildflower honey, and a thread of baking spice. The herbal finish carries mint and black tea, a dry counterpoint to the sweetness up front. At 94 proof, the bourbon sits comfortably in an Old Fashioned with a sugar cube and Angostura, or alongside smoked brisket and charred corn where the honey and citrus cut through fat. It's approachable enough for a weeknight pour but layered enough to hold attention when you're tasting with intent. Willett Family Pot Still Reserve is available for pickup at Off Premise Chicago, 1128 W Armitage Ave in Lincoln Park, with local delivery throughout Chicago and nationwide shipping.