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Willett Pot Still Reserve vs Four Roses Bourbon
Willett Pot Still Reserve and Four Roses Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, classically built craft style versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Willett Pot Still Reserve | Four Roses Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) +14 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $60 | ~$22 – $28 ~$28 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.
Four Roses Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Willett Pot Still Reserve Four Roses Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 6/3 oak: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10
heat 4/2 heat: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 2 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 7 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Willett Pot Still Reserve 5 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 5 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Four Roses Bourbon: The yellow label entry point, blending all ten Four Roses recipes at a gentle 80 proof. Light and fruity to a fault, but the house floral character is already recognisable and it mixes beautifully.
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 with more proof behind it.
- Go with Four Roses Bourbon if you want the Four Roses fruit-and-floral signature at its lightest and cheapest.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Willett Pot Still Reserve); cocktails, highball, rocks (Four Roses Bourbon).