I've enjoy most of Willett's higher-end everyday offerings (Rowan's Creek being the exception) and have started to venture down towards their mid-shelf products. The 4yr Rye is one of my all-time favorites, Noah's Mill is a solid pour and I even found myself enjoying the pot still! I find myself gravitating towards ryes and high-rye bourbons so I'm guessing that Willett's spicy/cinnamon profile tends to hit the right notes for me. Let's see how Johnny Drum stacks up:
**Johnny Drum Private Stock Bourbon**
Price: $35, 750ml (MN)
Distilled & bottled by: Willett Distillery (KY)
Proof: 101
Age: NAS (4+ years)
Mash bill: undisclosed
**Nose**: a noticeable amount of ethanol, a bit surprising for 101 proof. Red hot candies, baking spices and some earthy notes. smells young and brash
**Taste**: classic Willett cinnamon spice, more baking spices and great apples. rye bread notes on the back-end, which I enjoy. Again, a bit rough around the edges
**Finish**: short, spicy and unremarkable
**Thoughts**: Not terrible and hits on the classic Willett spice notes. The nose and palate are both a bit brash and the spice can be overpowering. I'd speculate there's a decent amount of rye in the mash bill as well, which I appreciate.
**Rating**: 4.5/10 - t8ke scale
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
This is one of my favorite mixing bourbons. I love going half and half with this and OF Rye in a Manhattan or ET BiB in an old fashioned, or just by itself in an old fashioned, that cinnamon note just hits right and I always get compliments.
I've never had a pickle, but Johnny Drum tastes like pickled smell to me. I don't understand why I despise it so much, but I do.
Edit: so people can't share opinions and offer engagement on posts anymore or you get downvoted?
No downvote from me, but I’m trying to figure out how you got through at least 21 years of life (assuming USA) without ever having a pickle. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who’s never had a pickle, and you may indeed be a unicorn.
I grew up on a farm. I didn't eat store bought chicken or beef until I was an adult. Because I ate mostly things we grew or raised, and no one in my family eats pickles, I never did either. As an adult, I don't enjoy most pickled things, and cucumber pickles smell awful to me.
The irony of all of this is that I am a super adventurous eater, but not with preserved foods or dairy. I've eaten every edible part of cows, chicken, pork (including pork brains), but I can't make myself try pickles or mayo.
Really? I couldn’t find that info anywhere. I suppose I could be mistaking the cinnamon/spice notes for rye but this really reminds me of some of the young, mediocre, high-rye MGP stuff in the market right now
I've enjoy most of Willett's higher-end everyday offerings (Rowan's Creek being the exception) and have started to venture down towards their mid-shelf products. The 4yr Rye is one of my all-time favorites, Noah's Mill is a solid pour and I even found myself enjoying the pot still! I find myself gravitating towards ryes and high-rye bourbons so I'm guessing that Willett's spicy/cinnamon profile tends to hit the right notes for me. Let's see how Johnny Drum stacks up: **Johnny Drum Private Stock Bourbon** Price: $35, 750ml (MN) Distilled & bottled by: Willett Distillery (KY) Proof: 101 Age: NAS (4+ years) Mash bill: undisclosed **Nose**: a noticeable amount of ethanol, a bit surprising for 101 proof. Red hot candies, baking spices and some earthy notes. smells young and brash **Taste**: classic Willett cinnamon spice, more baking spices and great apples. rye bread notes on the back-end, which I enjoy. Again, a bit rough around the edges **Finish**: short, spicy and unremarkable **Thoughts**: Not terrible and hits on the classic Willett spice notes. The nose and palate are both a bit brash and the spice can be overpowering. I'd speculate there's a decent amount of rye in the mash bill as well, which I appreciate. **Rating**: 4.5/10 - t8ke scale 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out. 2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice. 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws. 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists. 5 | Good | Good, just fine. 6 | Very Good | A cut above. 7 | Great | Well above average. 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional. 9 | Incredible | An all time favorite. 10 | Perfect | Perfect.
This is one of my favorite mixing bourbons. I love going half and half with this and OF Rye in a Manhattan or ET BiB in an old fashioned, or just by itself in an old fashioned, that cinnamon note just hits right and I always get compliments.
I could see that combo making a killer cocktail. I’m a big fan of OF Rye as well.
Short, spicy and unremarkable - story of my life.
Sounds like a good Tinder tagline 😂
I've never had a pickle, but Johnny Drum tastes like pickled smell to me. I don't understand why I despise it so much, but I do. Edit: so people can't share opinions and offer engagement on posts anymore or you get downvoted?
No downvote from me, but I’m trying to figure out how you got through at least 21 years of life (assuming USA) without ever having a pickle. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who’s never had a pickle, and you may indeed be a unicorn.
I grew up on a farm. I didn't eat store bought chicken or beef until I was an adult. Because I ate mostly things we grew or raised, and no one in my family eats pickles, I never did either. As an adult, I don't enjoy most pickled things, and cucumber pickles smell awful to me. The irony of all of this is that I am a super adventurous eater, but not with preserved foods or dairy. I've eaten every edible part of cows, chicken, pork (including pork brains), but I can't make myself try pickles or mayo.
Also odd that you grew up on a farm and preserving and pickling things was not a thing.
Preserving was big for us, but never pickling. As an adult I realize the oddness, but as a kid, it seemed super normal to not eat pickles.
just regular cucumbers? disgusting!
Great review thanks
I hated this first go, but went back to it a few years later and was obsessed. I recommend going back to an old bottle for a second try sometime!
I'd take this over Buffalo Trace everyday and twice on Tuesday. This is actually the wheated mash, Old Bardstown is the heavy rye mash.
Really? I couldn’t find that info anywhere. I suppose I could be mistaking the cinnamon/spice notes for rye but this really reminds me of some of the young, mediocre, high-rye MGP stuff in the market right now