“Nose is ‘vanilla lemon cake.’ The palate is a balance of caramel, vanilla, spices and citrus. I'm not sure if they made the opulent bottle to match the Whiskey or vice versa.” – Bill Thomas, Jack Rose Dining Saloon

In the spring of 1936, at the age of 27, Thompson Willett founded Willett Distillery, erected near the family farm. Upon completion, in the spring of 1937, Willett Distillery produced its first batch of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey. That inaugural batch amounted to 300 bushels, or about 30 barrels, on March 17, 1937 – St. Patrick’s Day. The newly barreled Bourbon was stored in one of the family’s rickhouses, built on some of the highest ground in the county, ensuring that fresh breezes would aid the maturation of the Whiskey.

To this day, descendants of Thompson Willett carry on the family tradition here, crafting Kentucky Bourbon and Kentucky Rye Whiskey in the same spot Thompson and his family began over 80 years ago.