Willett Founders

In 1936 Thompson became the President of the Willett Distilling Company. He would hold this position until 1982. Using the bourbon recipe of his grandfather John David Willett, they produced their first batch of 30 barrels on March 17, 1937, St. Patrick's Day. Thompson and his family made Old Bardstown the flagship brand, selling it for $4.89 per fifth in 1955. “Named after a racehorse, not the town, Old Bardstown became one of the original cult Bourbon brands of the 20th Century.