Willett Family Estate 14 Year “You Only Live Twice” Single Barrel Bourbon & Pot Still Reserve Cask Strength Bundle

The Kulsveen family fired up Willett’s stills again on January 27, 2012, and filled barrel #138 seven weeks later. Fourteen years on, that barrel is The Prime Barrel’s single barrel pick #173, “You Only Live Twice.” It sits beside Pot Still Reserve Cask Strength, the newest bourbon from the same Bardstown distillery. Together, the two bottles span the modern Willett story from its first weeks to its latest release.

The 14-year was made from Willett’s original bourbon recipe: 72% corn, 13% rye, and an unusually high 15% malted barley. It went into the barrel at 125 proof and spent fourteen years on the first floor of Warehouse A, one of the property's oldest buildings, before coming out at 116.8 proof. Time softened the edges this mash bill shows when young, leaving rich sweetness, cinnamon spice, and mature oak. Willett Family Estate earned its reputation on long-aged barrels distilled elsewhere during the family’s years away from distilling. Barrels like this one are the first chance to taste fully mature bourbon that Willett made itself.

Pot Still Reserve Cask Strength takes a different path. Wheat replaces rye as the flavoring grain, giving it a softer, rounder build, and it is bottled at full barrel strength with no water added. Anyone familiar with the standard 94-proof Pot Still Reserve will find a much fuller whiskey here, with deeper caramel, vanilla, and baking spice; more weight on the palate; and a longer finish. Willett releases it twice a year around the spring and fall equinoxes, with each batch’s proof printed on the neck strip.

Poured together, the two bottles show the range of one distillery: rye against wheat, fourteen years against four to six, and one of Willett’s first modern barrels against its most recent release.

What's included:

• Willett Family Estate 14 Year Single Barrel, The Prime Barrel Pick #173 “You Only Live Twice”
  • Distilled March 15, 2012 (the 138th barrel filled after Willett resumed distilling)
  • Mash bill: 72% corn, 13% rye, 15% malted barley
  • Aged 14 years, Warehouse A, 1st floor
  • Barrel entry 125 proof; bottled at cask strength, 116.8 proof
• Willett Pot Still Reserve Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon
  • Mash bill: 65% corn, 20% wheat, 15% malted barley
  • Barrel entry: 115 proof; aged 4–6 years
  • Non-chill filtered, bottled uncut.

FAQs:

• Was this Willett Family Estate 14 Year distilled by Willett? Yes. Willett distilled Barrel #138 at Willett Distillery on March 15, 2012, seven weeks after the distillery resumed production.
• What mash bill is the 14-year? Willett’s original bourbon recipe: 72% corn, 13% rye, 15% malted barley.
• How is Pot Still Reserve Cask Strength different from regular Pot Still Reserve? The regular version is bottled at 94 proof. The cask strength is bottled uncut at full barrel proof, around 120, depending on the batch, without chill filtration.
• What is the difference between the two bourbons in this set? The 14-year uses rye as its secondary grain and has aged fourteen years. Pot Still Reserve CS is a wheated bourbon aged four to six years. Together, they show two Willett recipes at cask strength.

WFE 14 Year, Pick #173

Nose: Mature oak, caramelized sugar
Palate: Rich sweetness, cinnamon spice, mature oak

Pot Still Reserve Cask Strength

Nose: Caramel, vanilla bean, toasted oak, soft wheat bread
Palate: Creamy and full; brown sugar, baking spice, gentle oak
Finish: Long and warming; vanilla, caramel, spice, a trace of mint

WFE 14: Dark chocolate, smoked brisket, aged cheddar, a medium-bodied cigar
Pot Still Reserve CS: Pecan pie, bread pudding, aged gouda, maple-glazed pork