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Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style vs Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style and Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an undiluted barrel-strength pour.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style | Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 68% corn, 18% rye, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) | 125.2 proof (62.6% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 ~$8 less | ~$65 – $75 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 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
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/4 oak: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 4 out of 10
heat 7/9 heat: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 9 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 8 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 7 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 5 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 3 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style: Dense and syrupy for its age, with molasses and dark chocolate carrying a serious 115-proof punch. The high rye reads as baking spice rather than sharpness, and the body is unusually thick.
- Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year: Willett's own young distillate at full barrel proof. It is loud and sweet, all caramel corn, pastry and citrus, with a lot of heat for a four-year bourbon. Proof varies by batch.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style if you want a rich, high-proof, dessert-leaning bourbon with real weight in the glass at a slightly lower price point.
- Go with Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year if you want a young, hot, barrel-proof pour that shows off Willett's own distillate with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style); neat (Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year).