Wolves Willett Collaboration Straight Rye Whiskey #2 (750 ml)

Wolves x Willett Collaboration Straight Rye Whiskey Batch #2 (750mL) — The Rye Project | Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys | 6 & 7 Year | Cask Strength | 114.7 Proof

Discover one of the most fascinating modern rye collaborations with Wolves x Willett Collaboration Straight Rye Whiskey Batch #2, an extremely limited blend bringing together the creative California whiskey house Wolves and Kentucky's legendary Willett Family Estate.

Also known as part of The Rye Project, Batch #2 combines dramatically different styles of mature American rye whiskey.

At the foundation is 6-year-old Indiana straight rye whiskey produced from an unusually low-rye mash bill containing approximately 51% rye.

That whiskey was blended with carefully selected 6- and 7-year-old high-rye whiskeys from Willett, creating a fascinating contrast between the sweeter, rounder character of low-rye whiskey and the intense spice, herbs, fruit, and complexity associated with Willett rye.

The finished whiskey was bottled cask strength and unfiltered at a formidable 57.35% ABV (114.7 Proof).

Rich, powerful, and exceptionally layered, Batch #2 delivers a compelling combination of caramel, vanilla, orange peel, dark fruit, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, mint, tobacco, toasted nuts, baking spice, rye grain, and mature oak.

For collectors of Willett Family Estate rye and enthusiasts of the original Wolves collaborations, Batch #2 represents a particularly distinctive intersection of two very different approaches to American whiskey.

🥃 Product Details

Type: Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys

Brand: Wolves

Collaboration: Willett Family Estate

Project: The Rye Project

Batch: Batch #2

Bottle Size: 750mL

Whiskey Components: Indiana & Willett Straight Rye Whiskeys

Indiana Component: 6-Year Straight Rye Whiskey

Indiana Rye Mash Bill: Approximately 51% Rye

Willett Components: 6 & 7-Year High-Rye Straight Rye Whiskeys

Willett Barrel Selection: Drew Kulsveen

ABV: 57.35%

Proof: 114.7 Proof

Bottling: Cask Strength

Filtration: Unfiltered

Production/Bottling: Wolves, Ukiah, California

Release: Limited Collaboration

Character: Caramel, Vanilla, Orange Peel, Dark Fruit, Cinnamon, Clove, Pepper, Mint, Tobacco, Toasted Nuts, Baking Spice & Mature Oak

🥃 Wolves x Willett

This release brought together two names occupying very different corners of the American whiskey world.

Willett Family Estate has become one of the most collectible names in Kentucky whiskey, particularly among enthusiasts seeking individually selected, age-stated, barrel-strength bourbon and rye.

Wolves, meanwhile, built its reputation around unconventional limited releases and collaborations.

The Rye Project allowed those worlds to meet.

Rather than simply bottle Willett whiskey under a collaborative label, the project explored what could happen when mature rye whiskeys with very different mash bills and flavor profiles were blended together.

Batch #2 continued that experiment.

🥃 Two Very Different Styles of Rye

The key to understanding Batch #2 is the contrast between its whiskey components.

One side of the blend comes from Indiana.

This 6-year-old straight rye uses a mash bill containing approximately:

51% Rye

That puts it barely above the legal threshold required for an American whiskey to qualify as rye.

A lower rye percentage can create a softer, sweeter style, allowing corn and other grains in the mash bill to contribute more richness.

The Willett whiskey sits at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Batch #2 incorporates mature high-rye Willett whiskey aged 6 and 7 years.

That whiskey brings significantly greater rye intensity.

Think:

Pepper

Herbs

Mint

Baking Spice

Citrus

Dark Fruit

Oak

Combining the two creates considerably more complexity than simply blending barrels built around the same recipe.

🥃 6 & 7-Year Willett Rye

The Willett component is one of the major reasons this bottle attracts attention from collectors.

Willett Family Estate rye from this age range has developed an enthusiastic following because of its combination of maturity, proof, spice, fruit, and barrel character.

For Batch #2, mature Willett rye barrels were incorporated into the blend rather than bottled individually.

The 6- and 7-year-old whiskey contributes structure and intensity while maintaining the vibrant character that makes mature Willett rye so distinctive.

The result brings recognizable rye characteristics such as:

Cinnamon

Black Pepper

Mint

Citrus

Tobacco

Toasted Nuts

Oak

into a blend with the softer Indiana component.

🥃 Selected with Drew Kulsveen

The Willett barrels incorporated into the project were carefully selected with Drew Kulsveen of Willett.

That involvement is important.

Willett's warehouses contain barrels displaying dramatically different personalities depending on mash bill, age, warehouse location, maturation conditions, and the individual barrel itself.

Selecting the right whiskey for a blend requires something different from simply choosing the most impressive barrel to drink by itself.

The barrels needed to complement the Indiana rye while still providing enough Willett character to remain recognizable.

That balance is at the heart of Batch #2.

🥃 Cask Strength — 114.7 Proof

Batch #2 was bottled at:

57.35% ABV

or

114.7 Proof

and presented cask strength and unfiltered.

That allows the whiskey to retain substantial concentration.

At full proof, expect an immediate surge of:

Rye Spice

Cinnamon

Pepper

Caramel

Oak

Dark Fruit

Allow the whiskey to rest and additional layers begin emerging.

Orange peel provides brightness.

Vanilla and caramel soften the spice.

Mint and herbal characteristics reveal the rye.

Tobacco and toasted nuts bring darker maturity.

At 114.7 proof, there is also plenty of room to experiment with several drops of water.

🥃 Why the Blend Works

The most interesting part of Batch #2 isn't simply the age or proof.

It's the blending concept.

High-rye whiskey can be intensely spicy and aromatic.

Lower-rye whiskey can provide greater sweetness and roundness.

Put the right examples together and each can compensate for what the other lacks.

The Indiana component contributes:

Sweetness

Caramel

Vanilla

Body

while the Willett whiskey contributes:

Rye Spice

Herbal Complexity

Fruit

Pepper

Mature Oak

The resulting whiskey moves between sweetness and spice throughout the sip rather than remaining locked into one flavor profile.

🥃 Unfiltered Presentation

Batch #2 was bottled unfiltered, preserving as much of the whiskey's natural character as possible.

Combined with its cask-strength presentation, this gives the whiskey a rich, substantial texture.

The mouthfeel becomes an important part of the experience.

Instead of simply delivering alcohol intensity, the proof carries layers of caramel, rye spice, citrus, dark fruit, nuts, tobacco, and oak across the palate.

This is whiskey designed to be explored slowly.

🥃 The Rye Project

The Wolves and Willett collaboration has become one of the more unusual projects associated with Willett Family Estate whiskey.

Rather than simply recreate the same blend indefinitely, The Rye Project developed through numbered releases.

That makes the batch designation particularly important.

This bottle isn't simply Wolves x Willett Rye.

It's specifically:

Batch #2.

Its identity comes from the particular mature rye components selected for this release and the proportions used to create the final blend.

Once those barrels were blended and bottled, the exact whiskey could not simply be reproduced.

🥃 A Collectible Willett Collaboration

For serious Willett collectors, Batch #2 offers something different from a conventional Willett Family Estate bottle.

A traditional Family Estate rye showcases Willett whiskey by itself.

This bottle demonstrates what happens when mature Willett rye becomes a component in a carefully constructed blend.

That makes Batch #2 particularly interesting alongside:

Willett Family Estate Rye

Other Wolves x Willett Batches

The Rye Project Releases

Comparing them side by side allows enthusiasts to explore how Willett's distinctive rye character changes when blended with whiskey built around a dramatically different mash bill.

⭐ Why You'll Love It

• Wolves x Willett collaboration
• The Rye Project
• Batch #2
• Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys
• Mature American rye whiskey
• 6-year Indiana rye component
• Approximately 51% rye mash bill in the Indiana component
• 6-year Willett rye
• 7-year Willett rye
• High-rye Willett components
• Willett barrel selection involving Drew Kulsveen
• Cask strength
• Unfiltered
• 57.35% ABV
• 114.7 Proof
• Caramel
• Vanilla
• Orange peel
• Dark fruit
• Cinnamon
• Clove
• Black pepper
• Mint
• Herbal rye
• Tobacco
• Toasted nuts
• Baking spice
• Mature oak
• Powerful, concentrated mouthfeel
• Limited numbered batch
• Excellent bottle for Willett Family Estate collectors
• Fascinating comparison against traditional Willett rye

🍽️ How to Enjoy

At 114.7 proof, Batch #2 deserves to be explored slowly:

• Serve neat at room temperature
• Use a Glencairn or whiskey tasting glass
• Allow 10–15 minutes to open
• Experience the first sip at full cask strength
• Add several drops of water
• Allow the whiskey to rest again
• Continue adjusting gradually to your preferred strength
• Avoid excessive dilution
• Pair with toasted pecans
• Excellent with dark chocolate
• Pair with smoked meats
• Try alongside aged cheddar
• Excellent with orange-dark-chocolate desserts
• Pair with roasted nuts
• Enjoy after dinner
• Compare with Willett Family Estate Rye
• Taste alongside other Wolves x Willett Rye Project batches