When you've lived in Kentucky all your life, it's hard to not know someone connected with the bourbon trade. Such is the case here as I was with a very good friend at the liquor store one day and he stated that he had gone to school with the Wathen family. On that alone I bought a bottle. The family and I tasted and critiqued it over the Thanksgiving holiday. We were also tasting Willet Family Reserve Rye (know those folks too), Bell Meade straight bourbon and Evan Williams 1783. Wathens wasn't the favorite but not at the bottom either. It's very good bourbon but compared very closely to the 1783 ($14). Pretty standard Heaven Hill stuff. A fairly significant difference in proof although not evident