Alcohol Type: Straight bourbon whiskey made with Kentucky limestone-filtered water and a high-rye mashbill

Alcohol Content: 45%, 90 Proof

Price Point: Lower Mid-Shelf, $30-$40, found in most liquor stores

Flavor Profile: Heat, vanilla, oak, black Pepper, rye

Nose: Caramel, black pepper, grain, dark fruit

Bottom Line: A straight-forward, no nonsense bourbon that has bold yet simple flavor. This drink will warm you up with a kick of spice and mellow you out with a lasting sweetness. It is a fine choice as a standalone for any relaxing evening.

Bulleit is a Kentucky-based, tawny amber bourbon that can be found in the lower-mid price range. I grabbed mine for $33 but have seen it for as high as $36. Bulleit Distilling Company was formed by Thomas Bulleit in 1987 by reviving his great-great-grandfather’s high-rye bourbon recipe. The company claims to honor the original high-rye mashbill to maintain a unique flavor. I uncorked my bottle of Bulleit on a Sunday evening while winding down as my wife prepared dinner for the both of us. I poured it into a Glencairn and let it sit before nosing it. 

The nose opens up with sweet and heat with fruit and grain undertones. The sweet is a buttery toffee or caramel blending with the biting heat of black pepper. Lingering underneath lies a layer of dark fruit supported by the fullness of the corn and rye.

Honestly, the first sip of this bourbon was my favorite part of the whole experience. All of the layers flooded my senses before settling down and allowing me to pick them apart. The sweetness turns into vanilla in nature and the pepper gave my mouth and nose a sharp heat. The sweetness and the pepper blended wonderfully, one not letting the other get out of hand. Past these flavors lied a distinct oakiness and body of corn and rye. As I acclimated and continued to drink, the liquor became tame and rather simple. The layers of sweet, heat, oak, and grain became familiar and content.

When poured over chilled stainless steel rocks, the sweetness is dialed back and the oakiness is really brought out, giving the drink a bit of extra spice.

The finish left me with a meld of the flavors that lingered. The sweetness and heat prevailed, warming me like a long hug from my grandma. The grain, particularly the corn, left a savory starchiness.

Overall I thoroughly enjoy this drink. It’s certainly not complex, but that’s not always a bad thing. The flavor is strong and pleasant – perfect for a quiet evening by the fireside. My wife, who is not a drinker but is a phenomenal cook, tried a sip and immediately picked up on the oak flavor and attributed the sweetness to molasses. Bulleit may not be a big brand name, but its formidable flavor and honest simplicity are well worth the buy.

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