Tom Bulleit distilled his first batch of Bulleit Bourbon in 1987, and he and his namesake distillery have grown ever since. Most Bourbon drinkers are familiar with Bulleit, as it has worked its way up to be a big national seller. From their website, “Bulleit Bourbon is inspired by the whiskey pioneered by an old family recipe over 150 years ago. Only ingredients of the very highest quality are used.”
Bulleit Bourbon sells for $28, is 90 proof, aged for a minimum of 6 years, is available pretty much anywhere Bourbon is sold, and comes in the very recognizable corked bottle that is reminiscent of an old-time medicine bottle. The mash bill is 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malted barley.
Not going to lie, we are all big fans of Bulleit rye, it is our go to for an old fashion, but it has been quite a while since any of us have tried the Bulleit Bourbon.
NOSE
TB: Nice, pleasant aromas of spicy rye, oak, and an overall sweetness. Also getting traces of cherries, leather and some cinnamon. Ice brings out a little more sweetness, along with some vanilla.
TASTE
TB: Tasting that nose of spice and oak, but the sweetness has morphed into caramel and brown sugar. While not overly complex, we are also getting tastes of cinnamon, leather, and black pepper. Ice really mutes all of this but does bring a bit of sweetness.
FINISH
TB: An easy short to medium finish with a bit of sweetness and a touch of cherries to go along with the spice.
OVERALL
TB: Not too deep but a good sipper as well as a good mixer. A very good Bourbon for the price.
Nose 3.5 out of 5
Taste 6.25 out of 10
Finish 3.25 out of 5
Total score 13 out of 20 barrels.
We recommend drinking this neat or in a good Bourbon cocktail. Ice seemed to really take away some of the depth, and there is not a lot of complexity to begin with. Bulleit Bourbon has a lot going for it, nice smooth taste, decent nose, and a very good price. In fact, while we could think of a couple ryes, we couldn’t think of a better Bourbon under $30, maybe Maker’s or Four Roses Small Batch.
As to our final verdict, we would definitely buy Bulleit Bourbon again, and we advise you to give it a try.