Background

To say I’ve started to dread the Jack Rose tastings where they release their own Willett picks is probably a bit of an exaggeration. The picks are always delicious, the Jack Rose staff incredible, the tasting price reasonable, etc. But how to approach this with some tact- damn if it doesn’t bring out a set of enthusiasts with whom I have some differences of opinion on how to approach this hobby. Last year I was semi-bowled over by a crush of people rushing to the checkout counter post tasting to buy bottles. As I mingled towards the back of the line someone decided he had the perfect captive audience to show me his collection of closed Willett bottles. It was his first time at a tasting.  

Nothing so egregious this year, but across two tastings so far this year (and a third coming up tonight) you could set your watch by seeing these bottles go up on secondary at a crisp $1200+ price point the moment the tasting let out. Anyways, my old-man-yells-at-cloud-moment about Willett insanity aside, let’s get to the tasting. There were 6 whiskeys in this tasting, but I’m only going to cover the two new ones. For those curious, below are the other four pours (and where applicable my past review of each), and then we’ll roll right into the new reviews:

• Willett 8 Year Wheated

• Willett Family Estate Rye: Jack Rose “Eau de Vie” Pick

• Willett Family Estate Rye: Jack Rose “Voyage of the Beagle” Pick

• Willett Family Estate Bourbon: Bourbon Bonanza #4786

Willett Family Estate Bourbon “Trinidad Sour” #5222 Jack Rose Pick (9 Years, 142.2 Proof)

Nose: At first it’s Werthers Original candies and dark sugars. There's a robust dark sugar note. It's almost like you nose the "crack" that happens when you put the spoon through the caramelized top of creme brulee. As my nose acclimates more to the proof, some of the darker red fruit and dried cocktail orange notes come through.

Palate: Sour cherry, root beer and cream soda. Candied orange... It does have an old time soda jerk vibe, essentially the syrup from fancy craft soda. Except texture wise it’s not syrupy per say, more full bodied and casually coating the taste buds.

Finish: Rich vanillas, more sour cherry, and more old time root beer. There's a robust herbal, almost earthy note aligned with that root beer.

Excellent to Incredible (8.5/10)

Overall: The alcohol is wildly well integrated, and it does dance on the palate with notes arriving and departing as new ones emerge. It’s a pour you can sit with, and it would not surprise me if on subsequent visits and pours, my notes completely change.
 

Willett Family Estate Bourbon “Haz-Matters” #5285 Jack Rose Pick (9 Years, 148.0 Proof)

Nose: Cherry cordial, cranberry sauce, red licorice- heavy on the anise.

Palate: Black cherry, chicory coffee, hazelnut spread… nutella basically. Dark grapes. The viscosity is dialed up a bit from Trinidad Sour for sure, and those extra few proof points

Finish: Is mulled cheerwine a thing? Probably not, but that’s about where this lands for me. Also maple syrup and cloves

Excellent to Incredible (8.5/10)

Overall: Rich and viscous, the proof comes through more than Trinidad Sour which is not a bad thing really. It’s far from overwhelming or overly hot. It's a delicious pour that all in all reminds me a bit of George T Stagg in how punchy and red fruit forward I found it.