As an enthusiast, I’m always intrigued by how different expressions from a single distillery can vary. This curiosity led me to put two products from the famed Willett distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, head-to-head. On one side, we have the Rowan’s Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon. On the other, the Willett 4-Year-Old Straight Rye. It was a fascinating comparison that revealed a clear and impressive winner.
Starting with the Rowan’s Creek bourbon, I found it to be a solid, if fairly typical, American whiskey. The nose offered familiar notes of sawmill wood, a bit of caramel, and a fleeting hint of cherry. On the palate, it’s a perfectly pleasant bourbon. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s not a whiskey that’s going to blow you away. It reminds me of a slightly more approachable version of Booker’s, not quite as punchy. My final verdict is that its value is highly dependent on price. At around $40 to $50, it’s a buy all day. Once you get north of that, I believe there are better options available. I give it a respectable 85.
The Willett 4-Year-Old Rye, however, was a completely different story. Right off the hop, the nose was vibrant and unique, presenting an intriguing combination I can only describe as spearmint blueberry bubblegum. There’s a touch of fresh dill and that same underlying sawmill note I found in the bourbon, but the bright, fruity, and minty character dominates. This profile carried through beautifully to the palate, which had a wonderful spearmint effervescence and a long, lingering finish that I love in a good rye. For a whiskey that’s only four years old, the balance and complexity are truly impressive.
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READ THE STORYWhen the tasting was done, the rye was the undisputed champion of this side-by-side. While the Rowan’s Creek is a fine bourbon at the right price, the Willett Rye is something special. It is well-balanced, memorable, and a bottle I would absolutely buy again. At an 87, it’s a testament to what a young Kentucky rye can achieve and has left me eager to explore more of what the Willett distillery has to offer. It’s a really, really good rye.
What are your own experiences with the Willett portfolio? Is there a bottle from their lineup that you think stands out?
For more detailed tasting notes, watch my YouTube video.
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