Bulleit Bourbon
{{short description|Brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey}}
{{Infobox Beverage
|name = Bulleit Bourbon
|bgcolor =
|image = Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey.jpg
|caption=Bottle of Bulleit Bourbon
|logo = File:Bulleit logo.png
|type = Bourbon whiskey
|abv = 45%
|proof = 90
|manufacturer = Diageo
|distributor =
|origin = United States
|introduced = 1830
1999
|discontinued =
|color = Russet (dark brown)
|flavor =
|variants =
|related =
|website = {{URL|https://www.bulleit.com|bulleit.com}}
}}
Bulleit Bourbon is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced at the Bulleit Distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky and the Bulleit Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky by the Diageo beverage company.
It is characterized by a high rye content for a bourbon (at approximately 28% of the mash bill) and being aged at least six years.[http://www.cocktailatlas.com/Bulleit_Bourbon/Bulleit.htm Bulleit Bourbon: The Most American of Spirits], Miller, accessed on 8 September 2007 It is bottled at 45% abv (90 proof) for the US, Canadian, British, Dutch and Mexican markets. For Australian and Danish markets, it is bottled at 40% abv. It is also sold in Germany, Norway[http://www.vinmonopolet.no/vareutvalg/whisky/usa/bulleit-kentucky-straight-bourbon/sku-9446201 Bulleit Kentucky Straight Bourbon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112232130/http://www.vinmonopolet.no/vareutvalg/whisky/usa/bulleit-kentucky-straight-bourbon/sku-9446201 |date=2013-11-12 }}, Vinmonopolet (in Norwegian). and Sweden.[http://sweden.kcomposite.com/bulleit-bourbon-and-systembolaget/ Bulleit Bourbon and Systembolaget], March 13, 2009.
In the U.S. and other markets, Bulleit also offers a rye whiskey.
History
According to Tom Bulleit, son of a preacher, great-great-grandson of original creator Augustus Bulleit and developer of the modern brand, the first batch of Bulleit bourbon was made around 1830. Augustus continued to produce it up until his death in 1860. The current recipe follows the original mash bill produced by Augustus Bulleit, which used two-thirds corn and one-third rye. As implemented today, Bulleit Bourbon is 68% corn, 28% rye and 4% malted barley.{{Cite web|date=2018-03-22|title=Bulleit Bourbon: The Birth of a Brand {{!}} Booze Business: A Blog Dedicated to the Business of Spirits and Wine|url=https://www.boozebusiness.com/bulleit-bourbon-the-birth-of-a-brand|access-date=2021-04-29|language=en-US}}
Tom Bulleit began distilling his version in 1987, characterized by a high rye content and relatively lengthy aging. He maintains that most phenol is filtered out.
Seagram bought the Bulleit brand in 1997 and began distilling it in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.[http://www.alcoholreviews.com/SPIRITS/bourbons-evan-bulleit.shtml Bulleit Bourbon and Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon] from Alcoholreviews.com, accessed on 8 September 2007
The brand was widely introduced to US markets in 1999, and to Australia, UK and Germany in 2000.[http://www.diageo.com/en-row/ourbrands/categories/spirits/Pages/Whiskey.aspx#bulleit Diaego - Our brands - Whisk(e)y - Bulleit bourbon] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216143514/http://www.diageo.com/en-row/ourbrands/categories/spirits/Pages/Whiskey.aspx#bulleit |date=February 16, 2011 }}, accessed on 8 February 2011.[http://www.bulleit.com/story.aspx About Bulleit Bourbon] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723081307/http://www.bulleit.com/story.aspx |date=July 23, 2015 }}, accessed on 22 July 2015
Diageo acquired various Seagram's assets, including the Bulleit brand, which was then produced by its subsidiary Kirin Brewing Company at the same Lawrenceburg plant.
On March 14, 2017, Diageo opened a new Bulleit distillery. The {{convert|300|acre|ha|adj=on}} $115 million facility is located just east of Shelbyville in Shelby County, Kentucky.
In June 2019, Bulleit opened its visitors' center at its Shelbyville distillery in Kentucky. The Visitor Experience includes guided tours, a cocktail bar and an opportunity for visitors 21 years or older to design a customized Bulleit label to apply to their own bottles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Bulleit-opens-visitors-center-at-Shelbyville-distillery-511826301.html|title=Bulleit opens visitors' center at Shelbyville distillery|last=AP|website=www.wkyt.com|date=26 June 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-07-19}}
= Bulleit family dispute =
Tom Bulleit's daughter Hollis left her position at Diageo in 2017 after 10 years,{{Cite web|last=Thompson|first=Shea Davidson|date=2019-10-28|title=Bulleit Legacy On The Line|url=https://www.gobourbon.com/bulleit-legacy-on-the-line/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=The Bourbon Review|language=en-US}} claiming she was being pushed out because she was a lesbian. A spokesperson from Diageo denies the claim.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bulleit-Bourbon-heiress-firing-hollis-diageo-11728686.php|title=Bulleit Bourbon maker responds to Hollis Bulleit's claims of discrimination|last1=Robertson|first1=Michelle|last2=SFGATE|date=2017-08-02|website=SFGate|access-date=2019-06-09}}
Products
The current Bulleit bourbon whiskey mash bill contains 68% corn (maize), 28% rye, and 4% malted barley.[http://scotchhobbyist.com/2010/02/04/bulleit-bourbon-tasting/ A Bourbon Tasting with Tom Bulleit], Sctoch Hobbyist's Blog, February 4, 2010. It is bottled at 45% ABV.
Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength is a blend of barrels which are 5 to 8 years old. As it is being bottled straight from the barrel the proof varies by batch, ranging from 118 to 125 (59 to 62.5 ABV).
Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year is the only age dated Bulleit whiskey. It is bottled at 91.2 U.S. proof and has the same mash bill as the original Bulleit Bourbon. It won a Double Gold Medal at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.{{cite web |title=Results Archive -- San Francisco World Spirits Competition |url=http://sfspiritscomp.com/results/results-archive/ |access-date=30 January 2019}}
Bulleit rye whiskey, introduced in March 2011, has a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley.[http://www.bulleitbourbon.com/Distinction.aspx The Distinction]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, official website.[http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bulleit-whiskey-expands-through-introduction-of-bulleit-rye-118376679.html Bulleit Whiskey Expands Through Introduction of Bulleit Rye], Diageo press release, PR Newswire, March 21, 2011.Austin Hartman, [http://www.greenpointnews.com/entertainment/3096/booze-review-bulleit-95-rye Booze Review: Bulleit 95 Rye] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510064645/http://www.greenpointnews.com/entertainment/3096/booze-review-bulleit-95-rye |date=2011-05-10 }}, Greenpoint Gazette, March 27, 2011. It is produced in Lawrenceburg, Indiana by MGP Ingredients{{cite news|last1=Felten|first1=Eric|title=Your 'Craft' Whiskey Is Probably From a Factory Distillery in Indiana|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/your-craft-whiskey-is-probably-from-a-factory-distillery-in-indiana|website=The Daily Beast|date=28 July 2014 |access-date=15 September 2017}} and bottled at 45% abv.
Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon In 2025, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey released its first-ever Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, aged for seven years and distilled and aged entirely at the Bulleit Distilling Company in Shelbyville, Kentucky. This was a limited-time release, and Bulleit stated it will be available in the future only when the blending team determines it meets high standards of quality and character.{{cite web |title=Bulleit Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Release |url=https://bourbonblog.com/2025/02/18/bulleit-bottled-in-bond-bourbon-release/ |website=BourbonBlog.com |date=2025-02-18 |access-date=2025-02-19}}
=In Australia and the UK=
Distilleries
Bulleit Shelbyville Distillery
3464 Benson Pike, Shelbyville, KY 40065
Bulleit Lebanon Distillery
100 Bourbon Drive, Lebanon, KY, 40033
Reviews
Proof66.com, a review aggregator for spirits, rates Bulleit bourbon in the top 10th percentile of the world's best whiskeys. The Bulleit Rye Whiskey is also rated a "Top Tier Whiskey".{{cite web | url = http://www.proof66.com/whiskey/bulleit-bourbon.html | title = Proof66.com awards summary page for Bulleit Bourbon | access-date = 2012-10-23 | archive-date = 2012-10-05 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121005115546/http://www.proof66.com/whiskey/bulleit-bourbon.html | url-status = dead }}{{cite web | url = http://www.proof66.com/whiskey/bulleit-95-rye-whiskey.html | title = Proof66.com awards summary page for Bulleit Rye Whiskey | access-date = 2012-10-23 | archive-date = 2012-10-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121012141555/http://www.proof66.com/whiskey/bulleit-95-rye-whiskey.html | url-status = dead }} Proof66.com rates Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year as a "Tier 1" spirit with an overall rating of 551/904.{{cite web | url = http://www.proof66.com/whiskey/bulleit-10-bourbon.html | title = Bulleit 10yr Frontier Whiskey Bourbon | access-date = 2013-11-10 | archive-date = 2013-11-11 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131111015753/http://www.proof66.com/whiskey/bulleit-10-bourbon.html | url-status = dead }}
Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year received a gold medal in the Small Batch Bourbon up to 10 yrs category at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.{{Cite web |url=http://sfspiritscomp.com/pdf/Spirit13_results_Class.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-11-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007144631/http://sfspiritscomp.com/pdf/Spirit13_results_Class.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-07 |url-status=dead }}
Food critic Morgan Murphy said "This amber beauty, with its notes of spice, rye, and cedar, packs a stronger bite than its sweet aroma would imply."{{Cite book| isbn = 978-0848743161| title = Southern Living Bourbon & Bacon: The Ultimate Guide to the South's Favorite Foods| last1 = Murphy| first1 = Morgan| author-link1 = Morgan Murphy (food critic)| year = 2014| publisher = Oxmoor House| last2 = Editors of Southern Living magazine}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://www.bulleit.com Official site]
{{Diageo plc}}
Category:Products introduced in 1999