Bulleit Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Review: Hits and Misses

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Bulleit Distilling Co.
• MASH BILL: Not officially disclosed but rumored to be 68% Corn | 28% Rye | 4% Malted Barley
• AGE: 7 years
• YEAR: 2025
• PROOF: 100 (50% ABV)
• MSRP: $54.99
• BUY ONLINE: Not yet available online

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any whiskey fan.

WORTH THE PRICE: I've had better BIB whiskies for less, but at least it's not terribly overpriced. I'm actually seeing prices online at $50, a full fin below MSRP.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar. Try before you buy.

OVERALL: On a cold mid-February evening at Bulleit Distillery in Shelbyville, Ky., a group of guests gathered to celebrate this release–surprisingly the first of any whiskey distilled, aged and bottled there since its opening seven years ago–and tasted this from the barrel at 117 proof. I love barrel tastings, and if you've been on a barrel pick at Barton 1972 Distillery in the dead of winter, you learn quickly to appreciate whiskey chilled to below 32 degrees. Though it wasn't that cold inside Bulleit's palletized warehouse, I was still excited about this one.

I'm a Bulleit fan. I love its barrel strength releases, I've done single barrel picks there and I love its 10-year products. But all of those came from elsewhere, and I was ready to see what the home team could do this time.

Quite simply, I liked it from the barrel, but wasn't wowed. Still, I had some hope for the BIB. Maybe it would be better at 100 proof?

The nose starts out subtle, stingy, frankly, not releasing many interesting aromas. There's some creamed corn, light caramel, soft baking spice, but not much else. With a little more time it comes around to give up some oak, a little bubble gum and citrus, but that's all. Certainly not as complex as I expected a 7-year-old bourbon to be.

Thinking this whiskey needed to stretch its legs, I worked some air into the bottle by making a couple of old fashioneds, and revisited it later. Even the nose remained subdued.

But wait, flavor and mouthfeel told a different story. It was bold, spicy, fruity and a little oaky and herbal. In my glass, the spirit looked super viscous and weighty when swirled, and that body transfers to the palate and coats the mouth with liquid velvet. Bulleit mash bills tend to be higher on rye, and expectedly, spice enters the mix with black pepper, a good bit of orange peel, a little toasted oak and hazelnut. Some maple shows up on the finish as well.

Overall this is a decent bourbon, but not as impressive as I'd hoped. And believe me, Bulleit, I've been cheering for you! I want your own whiskey to be at least as good as your sourced whiskey, and ultimately, even better. But this one isn't that, to my palate, at least.

BRAND NOTES

Appearance: Medium amber in color

Nose: Spicy and fruity, with aromas of warm toasted oak

Taste: Deep with notes of maple and nutmeg

Finish: Ends with notes of sweet butterscotch

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.