Compare
Four Roses Single Barrel vs Willett Pot Still Reserve
Four Roses Single Barrel and Willett Pot Still Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a new-wave, classically built craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Single Barrel | Willett Pot Still Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$45 – $60 |
- Willett Pot Still Reserve does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Four Roses Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Willett Pot Still Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Single Barrel Willett Pot Still Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/5 spice: Four Roses Single Barrel 8 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 5 out of 10
heat 6/4 heat: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 7 out of 10
fruit 7/6 fruit: Four Roses Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Four Roses Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Four Roses Single Barrel: The OBSV recipe on its own at 100 proof — the highest-rye mash Four Roses uses, paired with their most floral yeast. Cherry and clove in equal measure, and a genuinely distinctive glass.
- Willett Pot Still Reserve: Famous first for the pot-still-shaped decanter and second for the whiskey, which is a fair ordering. Pleasant, sweet and fruit-leaning, with a good deal of the price attached to the glass.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Four Roses Single Barrel if you want the most expressive, spice-and-fruit-forward single recipe in the Four Roses range with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Willett Pot Still Reserve if you want a distinctive bottle on the shelf and an easy, fruit-forward pour inside it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Four Roses Single Barrel); neat, rocks (Willett Pot Still Reserve).