This weekend’s review is the first release in what’s promised to be a series of cask finished whiskeys from Willett. Version 1.0 is a cask strength, small batch rye whiskey sourced from MGPI in Indiana which has been aged for 7 years. After sourcing Willett has then finished the rye in Grand Marnier casks from France. Most of the critical reception around the first XCF has been positive with the primary complaint being price. It seems that in an effort to combat secondary reselling of their whiskey Willett has aggressively priced this release much higher than usual. Of course the high price could also be due to the expenses involved in acquiring used Curacoa casks as well but that’s a debate for another time.
Aged 7 years; 51.7% ABV; $160
The orange notes from the Grand Marnier cask are immediately apparent in the nose. The typical spicy rye notes you usually get with MGPI rye whiskey are taking a back seat to a heavy dose of orange creamsicles. On the tongue there is more of the familiar rye spice like anise and clove but it is tempered with some nice oak and dried orange rind towards the finish. The taste and finish have a lot of sweetness with honey upfront and orange soda on the backend. The orange influence is heavy handed but I wouldn’t say it throws off the balance.
Thoughts: This is an incredibly unique whiskey and I’m certain you’ve never had anything like it. I’ll give credit where credit is due to Willett for pushing boundaries and doing something different here. As with everyone else who has reviewed this though the price is a huge sticking point for me. I understand why Willett has priced it as high as they have but the cost is almost enough to piss off even a long time Willett fanboy like myself. At ~$150 I don’t regret buying a bottle but I never felt the urge to pay that much for another one.
Rating: B+ / A-
Uniqueness Rating: A
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