About Willett's
Willett was founded in Bardstown in 1936 by A. L. “Thompson” Willett, but the family’s whiskey history goes back much earlier. John David Willett was already working as a Kentucky distiller in the 19th century, and after Prohibition the family built the present distillery on its Nelson County farm. The first barrel was rolled into Warehouse A on St Patrick’s Day in 1937.
Willett remained in family hands and is still run by the family today. Thompson Willett’s daughter Martha Willett Kulsveen and her husband Even Kulsveen helped preserve and rebuild the business, and the fifth generation is still closely involved, with Drew Kulsveen as Master Distiller and Britt Kulsveen becoming President and Chief Whiskey Officer in 2018. The company also spent years operating as Kentucky Bourbon Distillers before returning to distilling on site in 2012.
Willett is based on the same Bardstown estate and continues to produce Kentucky bourbon and rye under a family of labels that includes Willett Family Estate, Old Bardstown, Noah’s Mill, Rowan’s Creek, Johnny Drum, Pure Kentucky and Kentucky Vintage.