Willett Family Estate 19 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon #1582 111.8 Proof

The Willett distillery in Bardstown is owned by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. Lambert Willett, a former distiller for Max Selliger & Co., constructed the Willett distillery in 1936, a few years after National Prohibition was repealed. The distillery was severely impacted by the bourbon downturn of the 1970s, despite its initial success, primarily from its Old Bardstown and Johnny Drum brands. The outcome was a foolish decision to produce ethanol for the manufacture of “gasohol,” which was prompted by the energy crises of 1979. Willett was left struggling and eventually shut down in the early 1980s when that market stabilized.

The distillery was later acquired by Lambert’s granddaughter Martha Willett and her husband Even Kulsveen, who founded Kentucky Bourbon Distillers in 1984. They became one of Kentucky’s most significant independent bottlers after first bottling the last barrels of 1970s-distilled stock, but as that steadily declined, they started obtaining barrels from other manufacturers to restock it. Most of their barrels were thought to have come from nearby Heaven Hill, and they created a number of significant brands using these casks, such as Rowan’s Creek, Noah’s Mill, and the Willett Family Estate.

They also contract-bottle labels for other businesses, like Black Maple Hill and Very Olde St Nick. Their products are among the most collectible to come out of Kentucky, and they are highly regarded for the quality of their whiskey.