Review – Bulleit Bourbon 10 y/o
Bulleit Distillery
The Bulleit Bourbon 10 y/o is our first bourbon #bottlekill of 2021. Typically scotch drinkers, it’s unusual for us to make our way through a bottle of bourbon as quickly as this one – testament to the depth of flavour present here. We purchased a bottle before the first March session of Pour & Sip had even finished!
Founded in 1987 by Thomas Bulleit Jr – the Bulleit Distilling Company uses an old family recipe. Originally inspired by his great-grandfather Augustus Bulleit’s work between 1830 – 1860 with high rye whiskey. The distillery has kept up with it’s family history, still favouring high rye mixes for their whiskey creations. They state:
“High rye content gives it a bold, spicy character with a distinctively smooth, clean finish. Kentucky limestone-filtered water provides a foundation for the bourbon’s character, while charred American oak barrels lend a smoky backbone. Our aging philosophy is simple: we wait until our bourbon is ready”
https://www.bulleit.com/the-story/
First Impressions and Reflections
A lovely dark-golden colour, this dram provides a thick coating around the glass. We were keen to see how the spicy rye notes would compare with some of our favourite scotch whiskies.
Nose: buttery vanilla, fresh grass, lots of woody-oak influence with some light pepperiness, creamy and sweet, dried hay coming through at the end – VERY inviting
Palate: creamy, rich, and smooth – lots of vanilla, nice pepper on the tip of the tongue, hints of dried fruit, like vanilla birthday cake with butter cream icing, fresh-grassy flavours in the middle of the mouth
Finish: coats the mouth really nicely, sweetness gives away to the oak wood, and more savoury rye notes, a very slight smoke creeps in at the end
Given the accessible price point of this whisky, I felt very comfortable making this an everyday dram. The depth of flavour across the palate is very inviting, making it a rather dangerous easy sipping drink.
Nose: oak, butterscotch, marmalade, banana bread, sherry undertones
Palate: buttery, rich, smooth, fruit salad sweets
Finish: rye spice and dried fruits
The way this whisky opens up in the glass is brilliant – offering some fabulous creamy, fruity, and fresh vibes.
Final Thoughts
We’ve already purchased a second bottle – got to love the Pour & Sip club shop discount! – and we’re pretty certain it will be a firm shelf favourite. Once we’re out of lockdown, this is definitely a dram we will be reaching for to share with friends. A wonderful introductory bourbon.
The Bulleit Bourbon 10 y/o has made us more curious to further explore the bourbon market. Looks like we’ve been a bit unfair by writing it off so quickly in the past! Let us know in the comments below your favourite bourbons?
The Dram Duo 