Our take
Bulleit Bourbon has a high-rye mash bill – around 28% – which gives it a spicy, peppery lift that you don’t get from softer corn-heavy bourbons. Tangerine, cinnamon, a hint of toffee, and a long oaky finish that doesn’t get sticky.
Works straight over a single big ice cube, works in a Manhattan, and shines in a Boulevardier where the rye spice pushes through Campari’s bitterness without being bullied by it.
What to mix it with
Boulevardier, Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, Mint Julep. Anywhere you want a high-rye bourbon that doesn’t get lost in the glass.
Background
The Bulleit family traces the recipe to Augustus Bulleit, a Kentucky tavern keeper in the 1830s. The modern brand was revived by Tom Bulleit in 1987 and is now distilled at the Stitzel-Weller site under Diageo ownership. Frontier-style labelling, bottled at 45% ABV.