Willett Family Estate 13 Year Bourbon "Hell in a Bucket" from Cask #33 is a singular, deeply expressive barrel that showcases the distillery’s most luxurious old-style Kentucky character. Rich, brooding, and full of mature oak complexity, this is a collector-caliber bourbon delivering dark fruit, polished spice, and decadent sweetness wrapped in a remarkably long, elegant finish.
A note about the title: "Hell in a Bucket" is a high-energy, swagger-filled Grateful Dead song that blends sharp humor, roadhouse grit, and a rebellious rock-and-roll spirit. Driven by Bob Weir’s charismatic vocals, it tells the story of a narrator tumbling through chaos, bad decisions, and wild encounters while defiantly declaring he’ll “enjoy the ride” on the way down. The song combines sardonic lyrics with a muscular groove, vivid imagery, and a sense of reckless fun, embodying the Dead’s 1980s edge: playful, ironic, and full of gritty charm.
This 13-year expression is part of the highly sought-after Willett Family Estate Single Barrel series — the distillery’s most limited and prestigious line. Distilled, barrel-aged, and bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky, it comes exclusively from a single barrel selected as Cask #33, ensuring an unrepeatable flavor profile.
This bourbon is matured for a full 13 years in new, #4 char American-oak barrels. Long aging in the Kentucky climate intensifies concentration, creating dense layers of vanilla, spice, oak sugars, and dark fruit. Bottled at cask strength 59.8% ABV, this release preserves the barrel's natural proof and character with no blending, dilution, or filtering.
Barrel No: 33
Bottle No: 42/152
Age Statement: 13 Years Old
Alc. Vol: 59.8% ABV (119.6 Proof)