Willett Distillery

On St. Patrick’s Day in 1937, Thompson Willett, a third-generation whiskey maker, stored the first batch of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey made at Willett Distilling Company. The distillery was built on the family’s farm a year earlier, set atop the highest point in Nelson County. Fast forward nearly 90 years, and Willett has a choice Kentucky Whiskey to be shared among friends for celebrations intimate to epic. Willett Distillery still sits on the same land and is owned and operated by descendants of Thompson Willett. Willett Distillery feels a lot like it did when we opened nearly 90 years ago – and we like it that way. We’re a cozy place set atop rolling hills and staffed by family and friends that we have known for decades. The Bardstown air that blows through the rickhouses and over the land is filled with a rich history, a vision for future generations – and a deep appreciation for the present, keeping Willett a family operation by choice.