Old Bardstown 90 (Willett) Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Old Bardstown 90 Proof Bourbon is produced by Willett Distillery, one of Bardstown, Kentucky's most storied independent operations. The brand dates back to the 1940s, when the Willett family first introduced it as a flagship label, naming it for the city itself and later for a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse born in 1952. After a difficult stretch in the 1970s and a long period as a sourced brand under Even Kulsveen, the family's own distilled whiskey returned to the label in 2016, restoring Old Bardstown to its estate-distilled roots.

This bourbon draws on the classic Willett mash bill of roughly 72 percent corn, 13 percent rye, and 15 percent malted barley, fermented as a sour mash in stainless steel with the distillery's proprietary yeast and limestone-filtered spring water. After twice distillation, the whiskey matures for a minimum of four years in new, charred American oak before bottling at 90 proof, a lower, more approachable strength than its 101 proof sibling and one built with easy sipping and cocktail use in mind.

On the nose, Old Bardstown 90 offers classic caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak with a touch of floral sweetness and baking spice. The palate turns soft and balanced, layering brown sugar and butterscotch with gentle cinnamon, while the finish closes clean and warm, with lingering caramel and a mellow Kentucky sweetness.