Bulleit Bourbon Review

We love bourbon, and although we’ve said it before, it’s worth another look (and taste).

First a bit of education and then we’ll get to the drinking since we are just as much about improvement for our minds as imbibement for our flesh.

Bourbon is the official spirit of the United States via Congress, as of 1964 when legislative types could be proud that they toss back some good ol’ frontier whisky. Bourbon is the most stringently dictated form of spirit out there. Although a common misconception is that all bourbon must come from Kentucky, actually bourbon can legally be made anywhere in America. However, it must be at least 51% corn and the rest of it wheat, rye or barley, plus it must be aged in new charred oak barrels. With all those restrictions you can see that bourbon is a very unique liquor.

So where does Bulleit Bourbon fit in to the Bourbon-osphere?

Bulleit Kentucky Bourbon
90 Proof (45% ABV)
Typical Price: $25-$35 for 750ML (Available at Internet Wines & Spirits)
Website

The Company Line:

“Bulleit Bourbon is uniquely crafted inside and out. From the 1800s Americana frontier-look of the bottle to the cork-finished top, this is not your ordinary bourbon. Each stage of Bulleit Bourbon’s creation has individual elements that ensure quality. The result is an award-winning, distinctive Kentucky bourbon, hand-crafted for the discerning explorer in all of us.”

Well, let’s get down to it. Today we’ll be drinking Bulleit (check out their cool website and register to win a free mountain bike while you are at it). The company says “Bulleit Bourbon uses only the highest quality ingredients and follows the 175-year-old recipe of Augustus. Bulleit Bourbon is produced with a high rye content and proprietary grains and yeasts.”

The bottle is quite simple, but nice-looking (and useful later on as an uber-sized flask).

This bourbon (in its current form) has been out for around 7 years, and was an addition to the top-shelf bourbon market. Most likely this bourbon was made to compete with Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek (going off on a tangent, Knob Creek is a Jim Beam product and it is overpriced, just like all Jim Beam products).

Bulleit has the highest rye content of any bourbons at ~30%. This does not however make it a rye whiskey, which must have at least 51% rye. Although a rye bourbon is impossible, rye whiskeys abound. For a more complete explanation of these terms, check out the wiki.

Because Bulleit is high in rye it will have a sharper taste than a wheaty bourbon such as Maker's Mark. This can be good or bad, depending on your taste. We certainly recommend trying it and judging for yourself, but be careful because at 90 proof it can sneak up on you quick! We found this out after drinking this bourbon on the rocks during a sporting event which seemed to never end, likely because of the ensuing blackout. Up until that point the terms “ten foot tall and bulletproof” applied, which is the sign of any good liquor, no?

The Verdict:
For our money, Bulleit has a nice honey bite on the nose and a lasting finish of oak which makes it worth the $32 per fifth, although if you are short on cash there are many comparable options for less money, such as Elijah Craig.

(Thanks for the review, Josh)

June 22, 2007

Bulleit Bourbon Review