Skip to Content

Noah’s Mill Bourbon Review

When you’re looking for a premium whiskey product, you want to know that you’ll be buying something of outstanding quality that you’re going to enjoy.

Bottles of whisky can range massively in price from a bottle of Jim Beam costing around twenty dollars to antique or rare vintages costing hundreds of dollars.

With this in mind, Noah’s Mill Bourbon is a mid-range bourbon whiskey, but few people will want to part with that sort of money for a single bottle of alcohol if they aren’t absolutely positive they’ll be getting something worth it. That’s where we come in.

We’ll do the leg work and research for you to find out if Noah’s Mill Bourbon is really worth the money and lives up to the hype. More importantly, we’ll be finding out what real people thought of the drinking experience when they tried Noah’s Mill Bourbon.

About The Company

Noah’s Mill is one of the whiskies produced at the Willett Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. The Willet family have been in Kentucky since 1792, the same year that saw Kentucky named an official state.

In the 1800s John David Willet became a master distiller in Nelson County, Kentucky, and was a co-owner of the Moore, Willett, and Frenke Distillery with the other two named owners.

A few years later, a direct descendant of his who went by Thompson Willett, became the founder and president of Willett Distillery in Bardstown. 

In 1936 the Willett family build the Willett Distillery on the site of their family farm just three years after prohibition was repealed. 

On St Patrick’s day of the following year, they put their first full barrel into storage in the warehouse.

In the 1940’s Willett released their Old Bardstown Kentucky Straight bourbon, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that the boutique collection that makes Willett Distillery so renowned today was created.

This collection consists of Rowan’s Creek, Kentucky Vintage, Pure Kentucky, and of course Noah’s Mill.

The Willett Family Estate Bottled Bourbon and the Willett Family Estate bottled Rye were released in 2008 by which time the Kulsveen family had been managing the distillery for many years.

Since then there have been several other whiskies made and sold by the managers of the Willett Distillery and within 80 years from the day the first barrel was put into the warehouse, the Willett Distillery has filled over 25 thousand barrels with their various whiskies. 

These days you can visit the visitors center at the Willett Distillery where some of the historic relics from the peak whisky-making era are available to see. 

What Makes Noah’s Mill Bourbon So Special?

It is one of the small-batch, craft, boutique bourbons that the Willett Distillery produces.

It’s a bit of a mystery liquor though, as not much is actually known about the origins of the particular whiskey other than it is made in the bourbon capital of Kentucky, and consequently in the world, which is famously Bardstown. 

The manufacturers do state that Noah’s Mill Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey contains 57.15% alc./vol. This is 114.3 proof and it is speculated that these small-batch barrels are aged from anywhere between four and twenty years before you get to get to sip it.

It’s not known specifically why there isn’t a definite age time for this whiskey which just adds to the mystery.

Neither is there a mash profile published for this bourbon which is unusual but it must have a corn content of at least 51% to be labeled as bourbon and be aged in new white American oak barrels to gain the “straight” title.

There’s more that we don’t know about this whiskey than what we do, but what we do know is that for whatever reason people love this bourbon.

The only reason we can imagine this Bourbon is rated so highly and raved about, is because of the flavor, and really what else matters?

While the price might make some people clutch their wallets protectively and inhale sharply, there are many people who will pay plenty more than this bottle is retailing at for a premium full-bodied whiskey with the perfect blend of subtle and sharp tasting notes. 

This is certainly a good choice for a whiskey connoisseur and probably not for you if the only whiskey you usually drink is a shot of Jack with your coke. 

What Does Noah’s Mill Bourbon Taste Like? 

According to the Willett Distillery where Noah’s Mill bourbon hails from, this is “One of the most lush and rich Whiskeys on the market.” That’s saying something alright.

So the flavor is said to be good by consumers and retailers alike but what do the manufacturers say about the smell and flavors of this particular whiskey?

For The Nose

In terms of the smell, they claim that aromas of walnuts and prunes are evident with floral undertones. 

For The Palate

With Whiskey, it’s all about the flavor. The delicate notes and tones that stay on the tongue are what make a good liquor in our opinion. According to the Willett website, Noah’s Mill delivers what it hints at by the smell.

It has tasting notes of walnuts, prunes, spices, and lavender with the perfect amount of acid to finish. 

Reviewers on Amazon stated that this whiskey was fruity with heavy honey overtones. Reviews match the Willett flavor profile in that the burnt caramel taste is the overwhelming aftertaste which most people describe as very pleasant with just a hint of the signature bourbon burn. 

Where Can I Buy Noah’s Mill Bourbon? 

Noah’s Mill Bourbon

No products found.

It can be a little hard to find so don’t give up if one retailer is out of stock. Keep looking around online and it’s always worth checking the top shelf of the bourbon section of a well-stocked supermarket or liquor store. It pops up from time to time. 

Some places you can check for Noah’s Mill, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey are

  • Amazon, we couldn’t find any active listings on Amazon.com for the US, but it was currently unavailable on the UK site so you never know, when you search, you might be lucky enough to find it. 
  • Master of Malt is a proud stockist of Noah’s Mill when they can get their hands on some. 
  • Drizly.com also sells Noah’s Mill Bourbon.
  • The Wine Searcher website can help you find stockists of certain alcoholic beverages based on a network of small businesses all over the USA so you can see if there is a store close to where you live that definitely stocks it. 
  • Your local liquor store. As we said, some well-stocked liquor stores will carry Noah’s Mill Bourbon, so it’s always worth checking. 

How Should You Serve Noah’s Mill Kentucky Straight Bourbon?

While the answer is fairly obvious, however you like, there are some suggestions from reviewers and knowledgeable retailers. 

Drizly.com states that Noah’s Mill will be perfect in a cocktail if that’s what you’re into. They write “If you’re a cocktail drinker, Noah’s Mill Bourbon is the perfect choice to take your drink to new heights.

From an Old Fashioned to a mint julep, (see also: Mint Julep Cocktail Recipe)it turns everything it touches into the best drink you’ve never had.” Others say that to mix a whiskey of this quality is sacrilege to the god of alcohol, but what you do with your own booze is strictly your decision as far as we’re concerned. 

Master of Malt suggests that this is the perfect whiskey to go in an Old-Fashioned if you’re into traditional whiskey cocktails. 

The oracle that is Amazon advises serving Noah’s Mill neat with a touch of water to your taste. Other reviewers have suggested that adding a splash of water to this smooth sipper will enhance the experience somewhat. 

What Do Consumers Say?

As we have said previously, we could only see a listing on the British Amazon website but the reviews are still worth going through. The United kingdom may know a thing or two about tea and crumpets, but they’re hardly Bourbon experts.

Nevertheless, some of the British reviews are quite amusing so we thought we’d share one or two. 

The UK ranked Noah’s Mill at 4.3 stars out of five and some positive comments raved about the flavor and the lack of burn. One mentioned that “if you’ve not tried a more expensive bourbon than the usual run-of-the-mill stuff […] then this should without a doubt be your first try.” 

One reviewer said it was “worth every penny and more besides.” another said that every sip blows their minds and that they recommend that no one buys this particular bourbon so there is more for them. What a commendation from our friends over the pond.

Back on American soil, Drizly customers review Noah’s Mill at a high 4.8 stars out of five. And some positive customer reviews state that it is “so good and so strong it makes you forget where you are and soil yourself”. God bless America.

Another said, “It’s not a mixing bourbon but a true sipping one.” In fact, almost every review on Drizly was high scoring, with just one reviewer leaving a single star and they had received the product in error so they weren’t happy.

We can think of worse things to have delivered in error. 

Final Thoughts

Noah’s Mill Bourbon is a traditional copper pot distilled Kentucky straight bourbon with a mid-range price and flavors of lavender, soft spice, prunes, and walnuts and a honeyed or burnt-caramel aftertaste.

It isn’t as acidic as other lower-brow bourbons so it’s good for sipping neat or with a little splash of water and will burn just enough to really feel it.

If you’re a serious whiskey drinker and want a premium bourbon whiskey with a touch of mystery about it, then give this one a try. If you are able to find a bottle that is.