Rowan's Creek is the bourbon that made a lot of drinkers pay attention to Willett before Willett was Willett again. Bottled in Bardstown under the Rowan's Creek Distillery name, a DBA of the Willett Distillery, it is named for the spring fed creek that runs through the distillery grounds, which in turn takes its name from John Rowan, the Kentucky judge and statesman whose Bardstown home is said to have inspired My Old Kentucky Home. The label is hand drawn by Even Kulsveen and reads like a note rather than a marketing panel, which is exactly the point: made and bottled by hand, in small lots, one batch at a time. It sits at 100.1 proof, an oddly specific number that is entirely deliberate and entirely fixed. This is not a barrel proof whiskey. Every batch is brought to the same 50.05 percent alcohol by volume, which means the house character stays recognisable while the individual batch still has room to speak. The brand has a genuinely interesting history worth knowing. Willett halted distilling operations in the 1980s and did not resume until 2012, so for most of the label's life Rowan's Creek was a careful blend of purchased Kentucky bourbon. From roughly 2020 onward the bottlings have been built from Willett's own distillate, making this one of the more accessible ways into whiskey the family actually made themselves. It carries no age statement, though it launched in the mid 1990s wearing a twelve year one. What is in the glass is squarely traditional Kentucky: caramel and vanilla over a green herbal streak, real spice from the rye, and enough proof to carry it without heat getting in the way. It works neat, takes a few drops of water gracefully, and stands up in a cocktail that would flatten a lower proof bourbon.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
50.05% |
| Proof |
100.1 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
United States |
| Region |
Kentucky |
| Distillery |
Willett Distillery / Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, Ltd., Bardstown, Kentucky |
| Bottler |
Rowan's Creek Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky |
| Category |
Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey |
| Expression |
Rowan's Creek Small Batch |
| Age |
No Age Statement |
| Mashbill |
Undisclosed |
| Maturation |
Charred new oak barrels |
| Production |
Small batch, hand bottled |
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep amber gold.
Nose: Caramel and vanilla up front, with a distinct green herbal and faintly minty lift underneath, plus autumn baking spice and a grassy rye edge.
Palate: Oily entry that turns dry. Caramel, dark cherry and maple lead, followed by black pepper, cinnamon and a nutty, almost chestnut note toward the back.
Finish: Long, warm and drying, with oak tannin, citrus peel and a cool peppery mint tail.
FAQ
Q: Why is it bottled at 100.1 proof?
A: It is the brand's fixed house proof, chosen deliberately and held consistent across every batch. It is not a barrel proof or cask strength whiskey.
Q: Who actually makes Rowan's Creek?
A: It is bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky by Rowan's Creek Distillery, a name used by the Willett Distillery, also known as Kentucky Bourbon Distillers.
Q: Is this Willett's own whiskey?
A: Current bottlings are. Willett stopped distilling in the 1980s and resumed in 2012, so older Rowan's Creek was blended from purchased Kentucky bourbon. Bottles from roughly 2020 forward use Willett's own distillate.
Q: How old is it?
A: There is no age statement on current bottles. It originally launched in the mid 1990s carrying a twelve year statement, which was dropped in the early to mid 2000s.
Q: How does it compare to Noah's Mill?
A: Noah's Mill is the sister bottling from the same distillery at a considerably higher proof. Rowan's Creek is the softer and more everyday of the pair.
Q: Where can I buy Rowan's Creek Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey online?
A: Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
