Review by: Raygun

Bulleit has a somewhat confusing history. It’s been owned by Diageo since 2000. It was distilled by Four Roses for a while, then contract distilled elsewhere, and finally at its own distillery in Shelbyville, KY. This would have been produced before the Bulleit distillery was completed, meaning it comes from an undisclosed distillery. This single barrel was selected for r/bourbon. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 10 minutes.

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Distillery: Undisclosed

Brand: Bulleit   

Region/style: Kentucky straight bourbon

ABV: 52% 

Age: 7 years 

Cask type: New oak, barrel 4-B3-467

Color: 1.3 russet. Natural color. Non-chill-filtered. 

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Nose: Pretty classic, with caramel corn and a distinct spice character. Mostly nutmeg and a bit of cinnamon. Touch of cedar.      

Palate: Bread pudding with nutmeg, cinnamon, and a dash of cardamom. Caramel corn. A little hit of cherry cola. Oak is pretty restrained for the age. Not hot, but not flimsy either. Opens nicely with a few drops of water.  

Finish: Pleasant spice again. A little more vanilla in this bread pudding now. There’s a hint of cherry again. The oak is still relatively mild. Has a nice mellow character, but not boring at all.  

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Conclusion: Very nice. Not a big barrel proof bruiser, but this gentler style works very well. Plenty of flavor while drinking easily. Not dominated by oak at all. Has some nice layers to it. An appealing freshness along with the spice and caramel. 

Buy a bottle? If I were drinking more bourbon, I’d give it strong consideration.

Score: 80

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Stagg Jr batch 12)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (new))
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Pikesville Rye)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Wild Turkey 101)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Maker’s Mark)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Grandad 114)
• 0-49: Blech. (High West Yippee-ki-yay)