Willett Family Estate Bottled Single Barrel 9 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey, barrel No. 4383, carries the name "November Rain". It was drawn from one hand-selected white oak barrel and bottled un-chill filtered at full barrel proof, 137.2 proof (68.6% ABV). Labels like this one exist solely for the Willett family's Private Barrel Selection program, so each named barrel is a one-off: when the bottles from barrel 4383 are gone, there will never be another.
Every Willett Family Estate single barrel is bottled exactly as it came out of the cask. Nothing is blended in and nothing is filtered out, and the proof is simply whatever the barrel gave after 9 years in the warehouse. The label records the barrel number, the age and the proof, and the family gives each private selection its own name, which is part of what makes these bottles so collectable. The tall bottle with its coloured wax-dipped top and the Willett family crest is one of the most recognisable sights in American whiskey.
"November Rain" is a nine-year-old straight bourbon bottled at an imposing 137.2 proof, among the highest strengths you will find in a Willett single barrel. Nine years in the barrel builds deep oak and caramel character, and bottling it with no water added keeps every bit of that concentration in the glass. The bottle wears the purple wax top used on Willett's estate bourbons.
Willett is one of Kentucky's great family distilleries. Thompson Willett founded the company in 1936 on the family farm on the outskirts of Bardstown, and the family ran the distillery until the early 1980s, when hard times for whiskey producers forced it to close. In 1984 Even Kulsveen, husband of Martha Willett, bought the property and set about restoring the distillery and its warehouses. For almost three decades the company built its reputation bottling whiskey under the Willett name, and on January 21, 2012 the first barrel was filled at the rebuilt Willett Distillery. Today the family's fifth generation runs the business, and the Willett Family Estate single barrels are among the most sought-after bottles in American whiskey.
Specifications
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Producer: Willett Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky
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Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, single barrel, barrel proof
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Expression / Batch: Willett Family Estate Bottled Single Barrel "November Rain", barrel No. 4383
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Age: 9 years
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Proof / ABV: 137.2 proof (68.6% ABV)
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Cask / Finish: White oak barrel, un-chill filtered
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Region: Kentucky, United States
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Size: 750ml
How to Enjoy It
At 137.2 proof this is a whiskey to approach slowly. Pour a small measure neat into a Glencairn or tulip glass, let it rest for a few minutes, and take a first sip on its own. Then add water a few drops at a time: at barrel proof, a little water opens up the sweeter, fruitier layers and softens the oak. A single large ice cube works too. As a one-of-a-kind single barrel with a hand-written label, it is a centrepiece for any American whiskey collection and a memorable gift for a bourbon lover who already owns the classics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "November Rain" a single barrel bourbon?
Yes; every bottle comes from Willett barrel No. 4383, bottled at barrel proof and un-chill filtered.
What proof is Willett "November Rain"?
It is 137.2 proof, or 68.6% ABV, straight from the barrel.
Where is Willett made?
Willett is a family-owned distillery on the outskirts of Bardstown, Kentucky, founded in 1936.
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