Blanton’s Single Barrel vs Willett Pot Still Reserve: Head to Head!

Discover the differences between Blanton’s Single Barrel vs Willett Pot Still Reserve in this in-depth comparison and decide which bourbon is better for You!

Blanton’s Single Barrel

Nose	Vanilla, caramel, oak, old leather
Palate	Creamy vanilla, honeyed, baking spice, oak
Finish	Long, honey, brown sugar, caramel
Alcohol content	93 proof (46.5% ABV)
How to drink	Neat
Similar to	Blanton’s Gold, Weller, Elmer T. Lee

Nose is rich in maple syrup, with an old leather hint and a tad of oak.

On the palate, Blanton’s offers traditional bourbon flavors: butterscotch, vanilla and rye spice only than richer and creamier as it is full-bodied.

Blanton’s Single Barrel (Similar Bourbon) is remarkably smooth with the right amount of sweetness making a super easy yet deep and interesting pour.

The finish is long, sweet and pleasantly warm with a bit of NyQuil on the tail but is not a deal-breaker.

Blanton’s is worth the hype, this is a super smooth and incredibly balanced bourbon with a nice buttery body and the right dose of heat making an entirely satisfying sipper.

Best way of drinking the Blanton’s is neat, if you want it chilled add a large ice ball or use a set of whiskey stones as you don’t want to water it down.

Learn more about this brand by reading my post: Discover the Best Blanton’s where I rank every bottle!

There are a few facts worth knowing about Blanton’s Single Barrel:

• Bottled at 93 proof.

• Made from un undisclosed mash but it carries a bit more rye than the Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare.

• Blanton’s Single Barrel does not have an age statement but is typically aged for 6 to 8 years.

• Earned the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012.

• Named “liquid gold” in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

• Earned the Chairman’s Trophy as the world’s best bourbon at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2012 and 2013, scoring three points higher than Pappy Van Winkle’s 23 Year Old Bourbon in 2012 and two points higher than Pappy Van Winkle‘s 20 Year Old Bourbon in 2013.

Willett Pot Still Reserve

Nose	French toast, caramel, oak
Palate	Brown sugar, fruit, oak, spice
Finish	Oak, leather, spice
Alcohol content	94 proof (47% ABV)
How to drink	Add water
Similar to	Buffalo Trace, Noah’s Mill

Willett is a sourced bourbon, meaning that is not made directly by Willett Distillery.

They don’t disclose where it is made but rumor has it is distilled at Heaven Hills, along the Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Henry McKenna, Rittenhouse Rye, among others (just a rumor!)

Willett is quite pleasant on the nose with a strong hint of French toast, topped with caramel and a side order of oak.

Taste is mostly sweet, rich in ripe fruit, although a bit thin with not much body. There are moderate hints of oak, caramel and a faint bitter note with very little warmth to it.

The finish has a decent length, hits with some spice and oak and a light apple hint.

Willett is not very complex, lacks in body a bit, it won’t blow your mind with any remarkable flavor and yet good as it makes a tasty easy drinker.

The decanter will make a nice decoration piece in your cabinet!

There are a few facts worth knowing about the Willett:

• Mash is comprised of 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley.

• This bourbon is aged from 8 to 10 years.

• Earned the Gold Medal for taste at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2008.

Blanton’s Single Barrel vs Willett: Price comparison

Prices are approximate and stated in USD:

Whiskey	Price
Blanton’s Single Barrel	$130
Willett Pot Still Reserve	$55

Blanton’s Single Barrel vs Willett: Which is better?

Blanton’s is a more satisfying bourbon

Whiskey	Blanton’s	Willett
Nose	✅	✅
Body	✅
Palate	✅	✅
Finish	✅
Value	✅	✅

• Blanton’s is the best Bourbon for the normal wallet. It’s flavorful, strikes a nice balance between sweet and spice, with the right amount of warmth delivering a solid experience from nose to finish with no let downs.

• Willett is not bad, a bit thin, and could be used as a cheap alternative to Blanton’s.

• But definitely far from being a top bourbon.