In 1936 Thompson Willett founded Willett Distillery. Today, the tradition continues.
1909 - Aloysius Lambert Thompson Willett, who went by Thompson, was born on January 27, 1909 in Bardstown, Kentucky. Thompson Willett was founder and President of Willett Distillery in Bardstown.
1936 - In the spring of 1936, the family breaks ground on the distillery. Willett Distillery was erected on the family's farm, three short years after the repeal of prohibition.
1937 - March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day, the Willetts put their first barrel into storage in Warehouse A.
1940s - In the 1940’s Willett Distillery introduced Old Bardstown Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
1960 - January 8th - Willett Distillery fills its 100,000th barrel.
1964 - In the same year Congress named Bourbon America's Native Spirit, Thompson Willett and the Willett Distillery received a gold medal for Old Bardstown.
1984 - Even and Martha Kulsveen assume the leadership role.
2008 - Willett Family Estate bottled Bourbon and bottled Rye is introduced. During the same year, Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon debuts in the signature pot still shaped bottle fashioned using the original still blueprints.
2012 - January 27th - The family puts the first barrels of their new-make Bourbon Whiskey into Warehouse A for storage. This would have been Thompson’s 103rd birthday.
2014 - October 31st – The first release of Willett Exploratory Cask Finished Whiskey is unveiled. 2015 - Willett Family Estate Bottled Rye Whiskey, Aged Two Years, is released. This is the first Whiskey to be released that came off the Willett copper pot still.
2016 - March 17 – Willett Family Estate Bottled Bourbon Whiskey, Aged Four Years, is released. This is the first Bourbon to be released that came off the Willett copper pot still.
2016 - The “new” Old Bardstown 90 proof as well as the “new” Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond Bourbon is released. Both Bourbon labels are reproductions of Old Bardstown labels that were in the family’s portfolio when Thompson Willett was President.
2017 - On March 17, 2017, St. Patrick’s Day, the family celebrated it’s 80 Year Anniversary of when Thompson Willett and his family put their first barrels into storage.