It is a beautiful day here in Indianapolis. Great weather, great company, great cigars, and hopefully a great Bourbon. Today’s drink is Bulleit Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. All of their bottles also say Frontier Whiskey, we could not determine exactly what that means. Bulleit Bourbons and their ryes have been around for a while, the Single Barrel is relatively new coming out in and around 2019.
Bulleit Single Barrel Bourbon comes in the same old-fashioned-looking corked bottle as the other expressions, is 104 proof, sells for $65, and can be found at most liquor stores. There is no age statement or mash bill on the bottle or the website, but with a little digging on the Internet, it seems it is aged 10 years. As for the mash bill, they only say that it is a high rye.
We here at Talking Bourbon are somewhat conflicted with Bulleit whiskeys. Their standard Bourbon is what it is, slightly above an entry-level Bourbon and its taste and complexity reflect that. Best used as a mixer. Their 10-year-old Bourbon is better but still lacks something, especially for the higher price. Having said that, we both absolutely love Bullet Rye. It is both of our go-to, under $30 rye. So, we have meh, decent, and great. Let’s hope, especially at this price, that Bulleit Single Barrel is at least good, if not great.
NOSE
Matt: Deep rich smells of caramel and vanilla upfront. Secondary aromas include leather, butterscotch, cinnamon, and walnuts. Ice opens it up to a fruity apple-like scent.
Todd: A very strong nose of caramel and butterscotch, so strong were those two that it took me a while to pick up anything else. Once I got past them, chocolate, tobacco, rye, and vanilla all emerged. Like Matt mentioned, ice seems to add a little fruitiness.
TASTE
Matt: Vanilla is the primary taste but right behind it is an overall sweetness consisting of chocolate, caramel, and butterscotch. Also, get a bit of tobacco and apple. Like the nose, ice opens up more subtle fruity flavors.
Todd: Decent neat but a tad better with ice. Like the nose, strong caramel hits you first with vanilla, rye, fruit, and tobacco rounding out the experience.
FINISH
Matt: Medium long with some sweet candy and spice.
Todd: Medium long with an oaky, earthy sweetness with some nice heat.
OVERALL
Matt: Great complex Bourbon that needs a little ice to fully enjoy.
Todd: I liked it, and it is worth the money.
Nose 4.5 out of 5
Taste 9 out of 10
Finish 4.5 out of 5
Total score 18 out of 20 barrels.
Bulleit Single Barrel Bourbon, while not being in the same exalted place as Bulleit Rye, is a damn good Bourbon, and one we both recommend. This is what we look for in a Bourbon, the classic nose and taste, a little heat, nice finish, and at a reasonable price point for what you are getting. Who cares if we don’t know what Frontier Whiskey means.
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