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Willett Pot Still Reserve vs Bulleit Bourbon
Willett Pot Still Reserve and Bulleit Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, classically built craft style versus a sourced, rye-forward blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Willett Pot Still Reserve | Bulleit Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) +4 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $60 | ~$25 – $32 ~$24 less |
- 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
Willett Pot Still Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Willett Pot Still Reserve Bulleit Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 7/5 sweetness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 7 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
spice 5/7 spice: Willett Pot Still Reserve 5 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10
heat 4/4 heat: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- 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.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Willett Pot Still Reserve if you want a distinctive bottle on the shelf and an easy, fruit-forward pour inside it.
- Go with Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Willett Pot Still Reserve); old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon).