Willett 4 Year Straight Rye Whiskey 112.8 Proof 750ml

Willett distills this rye itself at its Bardstown, Kentucky, distillery and bottles it at cask strength, so each batch carries its own proof; this one is 112.8.

It's a blend of two mash bills, mostly a high-rye recipe of 74% rye, 11% corn and 15% malted barley, with a smaller share of a 51% rye recipe. The whiskey goes into new char #4 barrels at 110 proof and ages at least four years. Tart cherry and baking spice open it, with a little oak; the palate is dark cherry, charred vanilla and rye spice, and the cherry stays right through the long finish.

Willett's own rye is hard to find, and at cask strength it's a sipper. For an uncut rye that's easier to come by and costs less, try Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye.

Add water a little at a time. Somewhere around 100 proof, the cherry and the spice line up.

We carry it in the 750ml size, in limited quantities. More bottles are under rye whiskey, and the rest of our whiskey is a click away. Pick it up at our Brooklyn store or get same-day delivery in Brooklyn, Manhattan & Queens.