Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey

Bulleit Bourbon is a straight Bourbon whiskey that is well-known in Bourbon loving circles for its high Rye content, a unique quality that has helped the brand stand out among other Bourbon brands.

Not as immersed in history as many other Bourbon brands in the state of Kentucky, Bulleit Bourbon has done immensely well since it saw wide release in 1999, and is one of the most promising Bourbon whiskey brands in the United States of America.

History

The Bulleit brand was established by Tom Bulleit in 1987 based on his great-great-great grandfather, Augustus Bulleit’s Bourbon whiskey recipe. Tom tweaked this recipe to meet modern standards when he started the company, yet preserved the practice of maintaining an exceptionally high Rye content from Augustus Bulleit’s personal recipe for the mash bill.

Tom Bulleit’s recipe relied on Rye to infuse the unique spiciness to the Bulleit Bourbon, and relied on a substantial maturation process to cut the ‘bite’ of the whiskey, and make it smoother.

Bulleit Bourbon was not widely available before the company was acquired by Seagram’s in 1997, who began distillation of the product in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Optimizing production helped mass-market Bulleit Bourbon to other parts of the United States, and later many other countries of the world such as Germany, Australia and the United Kingdom, the latter receiving a whiskey bottled at 40% ABV.

The production of Bulleit Bourbon was shifted to the new Bulleit Distillery in 2017 with the help of new owners, Diageo LLC. The Bulleit Distillery is located in Shelbyville, Kentucky and has helped the company augment their production by a significant capacity.

Making Process

Bulleit Bourbon is renowned for the use of a higher percentage of Rye in their mash bill, which lends this Bourbon its distinctly spicy character. As dictated by the law for Bourbon whiskeys, Bulleit employs a mash bill that is predominantly Corn.

The Bulleit recipe can be broken down into three parts; 68% Corn, 28% Rye and 4% Malted Barley. The yeast strain used by Bulleit is one of their special strains that are closely guarded by the company.

Although the standard bottlings of Bulleit Bourbon do not carry an age-statement, the whiskey is commonly aged for a duration of six years.

Alcohol Percentage

Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey carries an alcohol strength of 45% ABV (90 US Proof), slightly higher than the standard limit for American whiskeys.

Awards

Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2004

Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2007

Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012

Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2005

Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2006

Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2014

Gold Medal: Exceptional verdict from the Beverage Testing Institute in 2008

Gold Medal: Exceptional verdict from the Beverage Testing Institute in 2012

4 Stars: Highly Recommended verdict from the Spirit Journal