For the Willett family, distilling craft whiskey is a family tradition. During Reconstruction, John David Willett the family patriarch began distilling whiskey at the Moore, Willett & Frenke Distillery, which was situated just outside of Louisville, Kentucky. In 1898, his son, A. Lambert Willett who was 15 years old at the time began following in his father's footsteps. Three decades later, Lambert, together with his son, Thompson, purchased a farm on the outskirts of Bardstown, Kentucky, and began construction of the Willett Distilling Company. While the Willett Distilling Company eventually changed its name to Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, the family tradition lives on Even Kulsveen, the current owner of KBD, is Thompson Willett's son-in-law. In keeping with family tradition, Kentucky Vintage Bourbon is an authentic Kentucky straight whiskey. Bottled at a robust 90 proof, the bourbon has a golden chestnut color, along with an aroma of oranges, lemons, clovers and honey. Notes of ginger, caramel apples, roasted nuts and creamy vanilla dominate the palate, and give way to a finish accented by hints of almonds and black pepper. Kentucky Vintage Bourbon won the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and earned four stars from F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal. With its combination of age, taste and proof making it an unparalleled value, Kentucky Vintage Bourbon is one of the best kept secrets on the whiskey market.
