2022 Willett Family Estate 8yr (High Corn | 139.4°)

 


Nose: An initial sweetness reminiscence of rock candy with a bit of floral spice to the back.  A garden-like feeling comes to mind, but more of an overcast day with a slight sense of cool moisture in the air.  The second sniff brings more cellar where some wine may have been spilled that evaporated somewhat to join the ambiance.  The nose’s finish seems concentrated with elements of sweetness along the way.

Palate: The front offers a sweetness intertwined with the floral elements of the current Willett distillate.  When I think of the current OG distillate, it feels immensely unique in the bourbon world – there is so much more floral and fauna characteristic to it.  When I first had WFE #200 “Westport Whiskey and Wine,” it reminded me of the coming of Spring, where everything seemed to blossom.  This seems to offer that with a front in sweetness that makes it excessively enjoyable.  The profile of Willett reminds me of brandy and cognac more so than bourbon at times – it feels reminded, elegant, and classy.  This one offers that same notion – taking me to a ballroom where this may be served but with the front-in sweetness to entice others along the way.  The first sip didn’t offer the heat corollary with a 139.4 proof item, but the second and third sips build to give that Kentucky hug – with more notes of slight grassiness in the backdrop and lingering finish.

Verdict:  Better than I expected it to be – at times, I think Willett’s current distillate can be a little one-dimensional, but this proved to me that there are still a lot of intricacies yet to be discovered as the current distillate ages. 

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