Willett’s Even Kulsveen Passed Away

Even Kulsveen, the person most responsible for the revival of the Willett Distillery, passed away today. He was 79 years old.

Kulsveen was Norwegian, having immigrated with his family to the US when he was 14. He found his way into the Kentucky bourbon industry after marrying Martha Willett, the daughter of Thompson Willett. That senior Willett and the family had responded to the Great Whiskey Crash and the oil embargo of the 1970s by abandoning the bourbon business and taking their equipment to get into the gasohol industry instead. That venture failed and the distillery fell into ruin. Even and Martha took over the family business in 1984, reviving the family business in the midst of the nadir decade of the American Whiskey Industry, when sales fell to their lowest. The Kulsveens bought surplus stocks of whiskey from other distillers, stored them in Willett’s own warehouses, and launched a succession of sourced brands.

Although they held the rights to Old Bardstown and Johnny Drum, the Kulsveens apparently decided the Samuels family was on the right track with Maker’s Mark, and went with new brands and premium positioning. During the 1980s, they introduced Rowan’s Creek and Noah’s Mill. By the 1990s, these brands had a good reputation in the US and a stellar reputation in Japan.

Determined to minimize debt, Kulsveen continuously plowed profits back into the company, investing in the distillery’s plant and property while also buying other Willett’s shares of the company back. It was a process that took almost two decades to get to firing up a still and making their own whiskey again, but Willett was finally reborn in 2012.

Martha Kulsveen passed earlier this year, so Erin Kulsveen is survived by his children (Britt and Drew Kulsveen are also engaged at Willett).

Kentucky Distillers Association President Eric Gregory said, ““From revitalizing Willett Distillery to inspiring countless distillers, his leadership shaped not only a brand but an entire industry. The Kentucky Bourbon community has lost a guiding light, and we are grateful for the profound mark he leaves behind.”