We visited Willett for their tasting experience. Josh was our guide and he helped create this tour to give visitors a different experience than the regular distillery tour (since the meat of most bourbon distillery tours is pretty much the same, I appreciate they have a different offering). We started the tour with a pour of their traditional bourbon and headed into a rickhouse to discuss how Willett is a craft, smaller production facility and how their barrels are blended instead of rotated. Next, it was back to the tasting room for our choice of two samples (Johnnie Drum, Rowan's Creek, Noah's Mill, Kentucky Spirit, Willett Rye, Kentucky Vintage, Old Bardstown). We were also given two blind samples of Willett Single Barrel (barrel proof) to taste against each other. One was from the lower rack and one from the upper racks, both barreled in the same week. It was cool to experience how the microclimate inside of a rickhouse really does affect the product as it ages in the barrel. Their gift shop has a nice variety of products without feeling too much like a marketing machine. read more

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Really fun tasting even during COV. The guide was super knowledgeable and well spoke. read more

Willett Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Bardstown, Kentucky

We loooooooved Willett Bourbon and the tour was great. This was considered part of the "craft bourbon" tour, so wasn't a part of the regular Kentucky Bourbon trail... but do yourself a favor and stop in if you can! It's a beautiful area and it looks like they are expanding to several new buildings that will be part of an event venue as well. I loved that their family was working in the gift shop and that their cats (for which two of the bourbons are named! Noah's Mill and Rowan's Creek!) were hanging out in the main building. One of the things I really liked about this tour that I didn't experience on some of the others was that we got to go into the distilling rooms and taste/touch/view the different stages of the distilling process. At multiple points along the way the tour guide asked if we'd like our picture taken and encouraged us to ask questions and really engage. We were able to choose which bourbon's we wanted to try and I really liked that there were so many options, including one of the best Rye's I've ever tasted. Willet is worth the trip off the regular trail! All hail the craft and family owned (their current master distiller is a 5th generation) distilleries! read more

Loved Tammy the tasting guide. Good vibe, masks optional, my favorite of the five tastings we did all weekend.

Amazing destination for tour and tasting. Make sure to make a reservation during busy times at the bar and bistro. Yummy treats and desserts. Everything made with craftsmanship. We could have stay all day. Tammy was an amazing guide and we had fun with her. She led us around with bourbon and we learned alot. Well worth the money. Plan on staying three hours. Enjoy no matter what time of year. Friendly staff and amazing food and bourbon. read more

Willett Distillery - Remodeling and we got to see the barrels inside. Very neat how they are put together. - Distilleries Near Me - Bardstown, Kentucky

Willett Distillery is a must stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for a Covid friendly lunch and Bourbon tasting. Staff does a great job in providing a safe experience. The small plate food is amazing and the cocktails are fantastic. You won't be disappointed. read more

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Great tasting experience. Got to sample the Willett Pot Stove, plus three additional bourbons of my choosing. Look forward to returning for a tour someday. read more

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Small boutique distillery that surprisingly makes nearly 12 different bourbons. Willets has been distilling a long time. The tour was basically a tasting, you do not get to walk the grounds (probably COVID-19) Retail store with the restaurant upstairs was brand new and well done. Not many other distilleries offer that amenity. Got to try the egg salad sandwich, it was delish. You also get a nice engraved crystal glass at the end of the tasting. Nice touch Well worth the stop read more

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A gorgeous setting, so plan to enjoy a cocktail before or after the tour. The restaurant wasn't open on Monday. Ila shared information and stories on a wee organized tour with tastings along the way. We loved every minute. read more

A newer tour on the Craft Distillery Trail! And one I have been wanting to try. So on a chilly, gray Sunday, some of the Super Yelper Frands (trademark) got together for a little road trip to Bardstown for some bourbon-ing. Willett is just up the street from Heaven Hill (of Evan Williams/Bourbon Heritage Center renown)...less than a mile away! In fact, you get a great view of the HH rickhouses and grounds from Willett, as they are higher up on the ridge. The drive up to the visitor center and distillery is more rustic than other, more established places. Think gravel road. You can book or reserve your tour online, or you can do it over the phone (like when you want to reserve...but have a group of five people all intending to pay for themselves) and pay when you get there. The retail and check-in area is cozy and warm. Jessica was our tour guide. She was friendly and informative, so much so that before we even got a chance to ask a question, she was already expanding and answering what we might have asked. I think our tour went a little longer than usual, but not unreasonably so. Willett produces their own goods, but also outsources. They aren't ashamed to tell you this, and let you know what it is they do to make it *theirs*. You get to taste the mash and there is a tasting in the middle of the tour in the distilling building. And you might see one or both of their unofficial mascots: cats Noah and Rowan. They have some vintage, historical and original buildings, machines and tools. It is really interesting and charming. You end your tour back in the visitor center with a sample of Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond (so, so good....and only $22!!). Then all the offerings are laid out and explained and you get to try one more bourbon. I also really enjoy Noah's Mill. My only complaint is that I wish you were able to sample one more product. They all just sound so great! Currently there is a lot of construction going on on-site. They are in the process of building two bed and breakfast buildings, and event space, and an expansion of the retail area, with an addition of a cocktail bar and wrap-around porch. I am excited to see what this will all look like and I think it can only add to their profile and profit! They are worth a visit and a taste! Be aware: according to their website, Sunday tours run March-December. And Military and Veterans can tour for free! read more

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Worth the visit. Great bourbons and intimate tours. Not too crowded with a great education on the bourbon making process. Love the Scottish pit still. read more

A lot of people look forward to Maker's, Four Roses, Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey, and the rest of the distilleries. I feel that Willett deserves their place amongst the big brands. It's weird because they pretend to be a small family owned operation. While they are smaller than most and family owned, they're still(see what I did there) highly sought after. I have a love/hate relationship with Willett. While it's good, the nose and taste of the juice has too much tobacco for me. The distillery and tour raise the respect level for this brand. You drive up a gravel road to arrive at the distillery. The grounds are nice and slightly creepy. While on the gravel road, you're driving by their rickhouses. It looks like an abandoned small town until you reach the main tour/production/gift shop area. To add to the experience, Willett is situated on a hill. It gives you a great view of Heaven Hill's rickhouses. The tour throws a lot of information at you. If you're a connoisseur, you know the process. It's always interesting to see what each brand focuses on. Our tour guide(Jessica) was very informative and kept the tour going. My only issue is with the first room we went in. There were all kinds of pictures and paragraphs on the walls. We didn't get a chance to hang out in that room and read anything. Our tour guide did pick a few of the paragraphs to read and point out to us, but I'm not sure if she covered the information on the others during the tour or not. Don't let that deter you. While some of the information here is rehashed, you learn a lot. Our group of five couldn't think of any questions because the tour guide was covering all her bases. If you don't know a lot about the process, I do feel that this might be one of the best tours you take. All of your questions will be answered. The only thing about the tour I'd change is the tasting portion. While you're on the tour you get to taste Willett. After the tour, you get to choose two of their other brands to try. You also get a free Willett glencairn glass! I felt that the Willett tasting half way through the tour was odd. It messed with the entire flow of the tour for me. I knew that Willett made Old Bardstown and Noah's Mill, but I wasn't aware that they make Rowan's Creek and Pure Kentucky. During the tour, we got to see what they're adding to the distillery. A bed and breakfast... IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE MILL on the Noah's Mill bottle! So cool. They're also building an expanded gift shop along with two tasting rooms. They do have a small mindset, but you can tell they're preparing for the future. The guide assured us that they'd remain the same size for the next 10 or 20 years as far as production goes. I take that with a grain of salt because all of these brands know bourbon's popularity and how it continues to grow. They all want in on it. Having loved bourbon since my mid-twenties, it's exhaustive at times. I've also been able to see short-term trends come and go. Certain brands like to take chances. Certain brands like to evolve. That's something that I haven't seen from Willett. Willett seems to want to stay true to their roots. That can be both a good and bad thing. There was talk about the Family Estate Willett line. It's in the gift shop. While you can't find it everywhere, there are places in KY where it can be purchased. I was fortunate enough to have a bottle of the Family Estate a while back. Overall, the higher proof is a nice perk, but the taste didn't satisfy. There is something to be said about Willett though. They do have a premium line that they're trying to keep affordable for the masses. Unlike one of the big guys that just took their best bourbon and decided to raise the cost by 100 percent for no reason. Bah... don't be those guys Willett. If you're a tourist and you're overwhelmed by distilleries... if you can't do them all, you should fit Willett in. Additional Notes: -- 2 resident cats: Noah and Rowan! (They need a cat named Willett) -- Green Willett bracelet when you tour -- In the gift shop, they have tiny Willett single shot bottles. I think they said 50 mL bottles. They're A-DOR-ABLE! read more

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This is easily a stop on your Bourbon CRAFT Trail that you have to see. It's smaller but with lots of history and character. The potstill structure is what they're known for and they have a really neat historic site. Enjoy! This is also a mile from the Bourbon Heritage Center (Heaven Hill), so if you want to plan on doing several hours, don't miss this one! read more

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Not impressed. Very nice grounds but they gave away our reservation when we weren't there 10 min early although we did arrive 6 minutes early. We were at another distillery and then delayed by traffic and they absolutely did not say they would give away the spot when I called. Everyone in the Bourbon trail has been amazing but they clearly have some work to do on customer service. read more

We have long enjoyed Willett bourbon, and once got to try their Rye a few years ago and loved it. We only had 2 days in KY and wanted to hit our very favorites on this our first Bourbon Trail visit, so made stopping at Willett a priority. The previous day we'd toured at Heaven Hill, and earlier this day at Maker's Mark. Being much larger distilleries we were not sure what to expect, but each gave a wonderful small tour and elegant tasting in a special tasting room with seating and pre-poured portions for each participant. Our tour at Willett was fine, our guide was a retired teacher and knowledgeable enough if a bit long winded and long on the tired alcohol jokes. The property is lovely and you do get to see each step of production but we had an identical experience at Maker's Mark so a bit underwhelming (tasting the mash, etc). The real problem started with our tasting. We were led into a tiny standing room only barn where individual pours of the flagship bourbon had been poured. It was tasty. Then our guide began to hastily describe the ~6 other offerings, including the Rye we were so anxious to sample again (and purchase, if available). Our guide made a bizarre comment while waving a nearly empty bottle of the Rye in the air "And I guess whoever wants it most can have what's left of this". Two young males quickly emptied the bottle into their glasses, and no more Rye was available to the rest of the group. We were absolutely FLOORED that something would be offered to some but not all of our group when we had all payed the same tour fee (which is $2 more than any other on the trail). Not even knowing what the other offerings were because the descriptions had been so hasty, we chose to leave. That evening I wrote an email to Willett to express our surprise and disappointment with our tasting. They never responded, but did send an auto reply today asking for a review...so here it is! The next day we drove an hour out of our way to tour Wild Turkey...and while there we got to meet the legend himself Jimmy Russell. What an incredible experience, Nd what a kind and interesting man. You can be sure ALL of our brown liquor dollars from this point on will be spent on products from a company who actually seems to value their customers. You have lost two customers for life Willett, if past experience is any indication you likely won't care, but you sincerely let us down. read more

Toured a bunch of distilleries while in the area and this was my favorite. Great whiskeys and super friendly staff.

Can't recommend Willett enough! We had a great tasting experience here. After missing our tour (largely due to time zones and a slow rental car line...!) Willett was incredibly flexible about rescheduling a tasting for us. Tammy was a super knowledgeable and friendly tasting host, and I loved hearing her thoughts as to the tasting notes on their offerings. I also really enjoyed hearing about Willett's history as a family-owner organization. My favorite bourbons of the day we're Rowan's Creek and Noah's Mill - surprisingly smooth for packing a punch! read more

We only had two days so taking a full tour of all the distilleries wasn't going to happen. Most places have a tasting bar or something so that you can experience before dropping cash on a bottle. We were told they didn't offer any of that and the two woman running the "souvenir" shop seemed snotty where all the other places we went everyone was so accommodating. According to reviews I am reading G they do offer tastings? This place definitely had a different feel than the others not in a good way. It's also the only place we didn't spend our money. The outside grounds looks like it will be beautiful when they are finished but I can't say I return. read more

I was hoping to have the first review of Willett Distillery, but Britt B. beat me to it and he pretty much nailed it. This was a beautiful distillery and will only get better over time. My friend and I were fortunate to have a private tour from a nice lady who is clearly passionate about this place. We had an early afternoon tour with an enthusiastic, friendly, and informative tour guide. Willett was under construction during our visit which is actually really cool since we got to see it in the formative years. With all due respect to the three other distilleries we toured that day (Four Roses, Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam), we agreed that Willett was our favorite tour. Willett also offered the best tasting of the day too since we were able to try a 25 year aged whiskey. Can't say you'll be able to try that too if you go, they just happened to have one open and available. If not, you can buy a bottle for $250. I went with the Family Estate Bottle Single Barrel Rye aged 5 years for $40. I think I'll pour me a glass right now! Go out of your way for this place. It is a great experience and in 2013 I bet their bed and breakfast will be a great place to stay. read more

Willett Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Bardstown, Kentucky

Josh was a great tour guide who you can hear and feel his passion for Willett Bourbon. The Distillery is gorgeous and impeccably clean. We loved every minute of the tour and thoroughly enjoyed the tasting. This was our first trip to the Bourbon Trail and must say our expectations were exceeded! Will definitely be back!!! read more

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This distillery is very close to Heaven Hill and Willett is definitely my favorite between the two. Although it's smaller, this is a true Kentucky Bourbon Trail experience. It's a family run business with less than 50 employees and only 3 master distillers. They only make 20 barrels a day, Monday through Saturday. So if you want to see a distillery in action, don't come on a Sunday. The mash barrels were empty, which was neat and the first time that I'd seen an empty one. I never realized how massive they are. The coils around it stabilize the temperature by pumping water from the creek, through the coils. They still use the same original scale, from 1935. So that side of the tour was neat and informative. After the barrels are filled, they each weigh 500-525. I'm not quite sure the purpose of weighing them is, but that's the first time that I remember seeing that. When we walked up, there was a line to purchase tickets and the tour was about to start. The cashier or the employee at the register went out of her way to acknowledge us at the back of the line and told us to go ahead and start the tour and pay later. That was nice. Our tour guide was laid back and awesome. True examples of southern hospitality... A Kentucky experience. The tasting... How could I have almost forgotten the tasting. The first sample was of their bourbon in a bottle named and shaped from a still (sorry I can't remember the exact name) then the other tasting we were allowed to choose from their many options, after our tour guide explained the flavored of each one. I chose one that had a chocolate finish. I'm kicking myself for not getting a bottle to take home. This one isn't on the major Bourbon Trail passport, it's on the craft distillery passport/tour... either way, remember to get a Bourbon Trail passport stamp. Stayed tuned for their bed and breakfast to open. read more

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Amazing experience and will definitely have to return. The tour was awesome, the bourbon was delicious and we had the best egg salad sandwich (I know but seriously) of my life there. They even left an awesome surprise when I mentioned it was my brother in law's birthday! 10/10 read more

Willett Distillery - The giant copper pot - Distilleries Near Me - Bardstown, Kentucky

Intimate and amazing experience. Josh was very knowledgeable and proud to be apart of the distillery. Out of the ten distilleries we visited , this tasting experience was THE BEST! We loved that you tasted as you toured the distillery. Definitely will remember our visit. read more

I was incredibly disappointed by our visit here. My husband and I were visiting from California, and Willet was our first stop in Kentucky. We had literally just driven for 4 hours to get there and arrived at 10:15am. It is pouring rain, and we walked in. No one greets us or acknowledges us. I eventually walk up to the front to say hello, letting them know we are visiting from California and how excited we are to be there. The woman who greets me is very passive and rude. She responds by saying "well you missed the first tour, and there are no tastings without a tour." I was a little confused by this since I had spent a lot of time researching places before we put them on our agenda. There is no mention of tastings not being an option separate from the tour. We were on a tight schedule, so waiting for their HOURLY tour schedule was not an option since the next tour would start 45 minutes afterwards. She didn't seem to care at all that we had gone our of our way to visit them, so we decided to just leave. After having gone to many other distilleries after this unfortunate first stop, I confirmed that this was a very unusual experience and that they definitely deserve a 2 star review. I'm very disappointed by their lack of kindness, and I would not return. read more

Perhaps I'm a bit biased. Willett is my favorite Bourbon and was the Number One reason I wanted to visit Bourbon country to tour the various distilleries. It was the first distillery my wife and I visited on our vacation and it certainly did not disappoint. There are two tour options: the $7pp tour and the $10pp tour. The tours are exactly the same, the difference is for $3 more, you get a Glencairn glass. I couldn't ask for more when, because we were the only ones that showed up at 9am, we got a private tour. This meant we had the full attention of the wonderful guide, we could get all of our questions answered, and felt like we were VIPs. Willett is a craft distillery, meaning, they aren't a huge like Beam, Buffalo Trace or Heaven Hill. They don't have a zillion brands and things are done on a much smaller scale, giving you the impression that they really pour their heart and soul into every barrel of Bourbon. The property is gorgeous. You travel up a steep hill to get to the distillery. Aside from amazing views, including the old water wheel which we meant to get our photos taken next to but didn't remember, they have a beautiful gift shop and everything is priced quite fairly. We were, at the end, offered to taste nearly anything that Willett produced. I opted to try two whiskeys I'd never had an opportunity to taste, and I highly recommend Speakeasy as one of your two choices. All the employees we ran into were very friendly and outgoing. This is well worth the time and money to see. read more

Willett Distillery - The distillery. - Distilleries Near Me - Bardstown, Kentucky

This was a super fun and quick tasting. Loved everything we tried. Would be nice to do a more in depth tasting.

Wow, this was an amazing place to visit. Josh and Brittany were exceptional hospitable and friendly, especially to our 4 year old daughter. Brittany was like family the way she interacted with our daughter, even doing her hair. Josh was exceptionally knowledgeable and honest in the way he interacted with my wife and family. Will certainly come again. Enjoying a glass of Noah's Mill now. Keep it up!!! read more

Disappointed that there were no bottle options that I couldn't find on my local liquor store shelves. Might be worth a trip back for a tour, tasting or visit to the restaurant, but if you're just looking for anything close to allocated, forget about it. read more

We enjoyed a great tour and tasting at Willett. We did the seasoned to perfection tour which was a nice change of pace from your typical bourbon tour. It's only 30 minutes but still packed full of interesting information and good bourbon. It was nice to have options to choose from for the tasting and Josh did a good job explaining the differences in flavor profiles so you can pick which sounds most appealing to your preference. They have good products in there gift shop as well as a small coffee shop. It's definitely worth a visit! read more

Willett Distillery - Beautiful scenery - Distilleries Near Me - Bardstown, Kentucky

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I went on a tour of four distilleries over two days. Willett was the first and by far the most rustic, intimate and personal. There are big plans for Willett. Construction and landscaping are going on all over the grounds. A new B&B is slated to open and there are a lot of projects happening with the on-site crews. But we were there to see how bourbon is made. The tour takes you through each step with the experience that brings you the closest to the way the marketing wants you to view bourbon makers. This place is small and family run. Rather than large, automated systems, there was literally a guy filling and then rolling out barrels. One of the construction crew gave my wife a four leaf clover they found while excavating. Small tour groups with thorough explanations and an excellent walk through. You can even taste the fermenting brew at its different stages. A quick tasting upstairs, a commemorative glass and we were on our way. Willett genuinely seems boutique and rustic. This is definitely worth your time if you want to see the marketing come to life. read more

Willett has such an authenticity about it. I hope it stays this way and I will gladly pay a premium price for the bourbon to protect that. The buildings are beautifully crafted and everything is on a very small scale when compared to it's counterparts also offering tours. The tour was a good balance between the bourbon process, property history and tasting. What makes Willett different from the other distilleries is the selection of premium bourbons, especially the family estate line. I brought home a twelve year single barrel rye. Let's just say I'll be saving that bottle for a very special occassion. This isn't exactly stuff you can waltz into even the finest of liquor shops to find. Heads up if you are planning a visit within the next year... they are opening a bed and breakfast! From the looks of the progress it will be a very charming addition to this quaint distillery. read more

By far our favorite stop on our bourbon trail weekend!!!! We already liked Willett bourbon, but the distillery made us fall in love. The family owed and run distillery is situated on an old farm, and the hand crafted aspect of their experience really amazed me. It's so beautiful and I was specifically in awe of their converted farmhouse with gorgeous windows in the fermenting room upstairs. They are also building a bed and breakfast at the distillery site- I can't wait to go back! read more

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This was my favorite stop along the Bourbon trail. We where so disappointed when we arrived and they told us the tours where sold out for the day! Lucky us the tour guide was standing nearby and told the lady helping us that she didn't mind only 2 extra. They explained they limit the number of guests per tour because they have smaller spaces. We happily went along with the next tour the guide was friendly and knowledgable. I had been on half a dozen tours already and she kept me interested by talking more of their operation and less about bourbon in general. The place is beautiful and I love that it is family owned and run. They are working on a huge expansion and planning on opening a B&B! We will definitely be back next time we are on the trail because most importantly their bourbon is delicious!! read more

Willett Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Bardstown, Kentucky

A must stop off of the bourbon tour!! Family run and it shows. From Josie our tour guide- who used to be the family babysitter- to a chance encounter with Drew the 5th (?) generation master distiller!! Just an amazing holistic experience!!! Well worth the stop read more

10 days later and two messages left, no one has called and they still have my money. I wouldn't make any plans around a distillery tour at Willett. There are plenty of other honest distilleries in the area (one right down the road). read more

Our tour was great! Got a nice mix of history and science in the bourbon making process. There was a coffee bar that you could visit before your tour. Afterwards we went upstairs to the restaurant. They had some interesting twists on some classics. Choices were small plates and were easy to share. read more

Great tour guide and tour of a small distillery so you really feel your seeing the full process. And they let you choose 3 tastes from about 8 choices. And the best was free with military ID! read more

If you want a technical tour where you learn and see how to make bourbon, this is the tour for you. I learned so much about the process and they walk you through every step of it. She also made the property come alive when the family history was told to us. Our guide was sweet and explained every detail so that it was interesting. They offer many different products during the tasting that you need a little strategy to make sure you get the three that you are allowed. I highly recommend this distillery. read more

We had a great time touring this family owned distillery. The small size of our tour group kept everything very relaxed and the samples were generous. If you are going for a tour I'd recommend making a reservation for the restaurant if you want to eat afterward. We would return! read more

Willett makes one of the best bourbons on the planet and if you're in town to visit Maker's or Heaven Hill, you need to stop here. They are the geniuses behind Willett, Johnny Drum, Noah's Mill, Rowan's Creek, Kentucky Vintage, and I'm sure I'm forgetting others. It's a quiet little place that's kinda easy to miss from the road, so make sure you're paying attention. The tour is essentially like most of the tours on the Craft Bourbon Trail. Short on tour time, big on clever merchandise. read more