Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon

This was a tough rating...it's good, but it's not all that. Anyway...the review: Nose is very hot; if you're not careful the alcohol will wipe everything out and you'll be nose-blind for a few minutes. A little time to breath (and judicious distance from the glass) and I can discern butter toffee, caramel, vanilla and the faintest whiff of molasses under the predominant aroma of wood. The palate is much the same; a mouth-coating wave of heat interspersed with vanilla, brown sugar, black tea tannin, and a big hit of spice (a high-rye formulation?). The spice carries over into the finish, where it smoothly gives way to honeysuckle and then more barrel to close things out. A decent drink, all in all, but a little rough, as though it could have spent another few years in the cask and knocked down the rough edges at the beginning and end. I almost went 3-stars on this, but then didn't because I'm trying very hard to not let price influence a rating. This would be a great drink at $25, but as it's almost double that, there are better options to spend your money on. Give it a go once so you can collect and display the gorgeous bottle, then spend your money on others that are every bit as tasty for less (Jim Beam 8yr, Evan Williams Single Barrel, Jim Beam Bottled in Bond) or better for the same (Jim Beam 12yr, Stagg Jr, Crown Royal Cornerstone/Hand Selected).

Smells woody, but on the lighter side. There's just enough rye there to make it spicy while not overpowering the finish. Solid