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Willett Pot Still Reserve vs Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Willett Pot Still Reserve and Old Grand-Dad Bonded 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 | Old Grand-Dad Bonded |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $60 | ~$24 – $30 ~$26 less |
- Willett Pot Still Reserve and Old Grand-Dad Bonded do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Willett Pot Still Reserve Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/8 spice: Willett Pot Still Reserve 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10
sweetness 7/5 sweetness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/5 nuttiness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line 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.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
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 Old Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money with slightly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Willett Pot Still Reserve); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded).