Old Bardstown Bourbon Review | Willett House Pour Showdown

Jan 16

There’s hype bourbon… and then there’s Old Bardstown.

On this episode of Tortured Bourbon, we decided to skip the velvet ropes, the allocated madness, and the secondary market fever dreams. Instead, we poured Old Bardstown — the long-running house label from Willett Distillery — and lined up three expressions side by side to see if quiet tradition could still hold its own.

What Is Old Bardstown?

Old Bardstown is a legacy bourbon label that predates Willett’s modern reputation for premium, often polarizing releases. This was never meant to be flashy. No limited editions. No bottle chases. No Instagram flexing.

This was everyday bourbon — affordable, traditional, and designed to be poured without ceremony.

That makes it perfect for a Tortured Bourbon showdown.

The Lineup: Three Willett House Pours

All three bourbons come from the same producer, same family DNA, and same shelf space — but with different proofs and expectations.

🥃 Old Bardstown Kentucky Straight Bourbon (90 Proof)

Proof: 90
Age: No age statement
MSRP: ~$25–30

Official Notes (Katie’s Corner):

Light caramel, vanilla, and soft oak on the nose, with gentle corn sweetness and baking spice. The palate brings toffee, vanilla cream, mild oak, and brown sugar, finishing short to medium with light pepper and a clean fade.

Our Take:

Inoffensive. Polite. Immediately forgettable.

This is bourbon that refuses to make eye contact.

🥃 Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond (100 Proof)

Proof: 100
Age: At least 4 years
MSRP: ~$30–35

Official Notes (Katie’s Corner):

Deeper caramel, toasted oak, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon on the nose. The palate adds baked apple, oak spice, and pepper, with a longer, warmer finish.

Our Take:

Better structure. More confidence. Still missing personality.

Bottled in Bond usually demands respect — this one just asks not to be noticed.

🥃 Old Bardstown Estate Bottled (101 Proof)

Proof: 101
Distilled, Aged & Bottled: Willett
MSRP: ~$40–45

Official Notes (Katie’s Corner):

Rich vanilla, caramel, toasted oak, dark fruit, and baking spice on the nose. Full-bodied palate with toffee, vanilla bean, deeper oak, and lingering warmth.

Our Take:

This should have been the winner.

Instead, it proved that higher proof and higher price don’t guarantee excitement.

The Verdict: When Bourbon Does Everything Right—and Still Loses

None of these pours were bad.

And that might be the biggest problem.

This episode turned into a conversation about safe bourbon — whiskey that checks the boxes but never takes a risk. At these prices, especially the Estate Bottled, we wanted something to grab us.

It never happened.

No standout pour
No “aha” moment
No reason to come back for a second glass

Sometimes bourbon doesn’t offend.

Sometimes it doesn’t inspire.

And sometimes… that’s worse.

Final Thoughts from Tortured Bourbon

Old Bardstown feels like bourbon made for a different era — one where being “fine” was good enough. In today’s crowded bourbon world, that just doesn’t cut it.

If you’re curious, try it once.

If you’re hunting for excitement?

Spend your money elsewhere.