Bulleit Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
$24
After a late summer hiatus from whisk(e)y drinking, the weather is starting to cool down a bit and I'm sampling more whiskies again. I also recently got a bargain on a couple bottles of Islay malt that I will review before too long. In the meantime I will write a bit about a bottle of bourbon that has been on the shelf for a while. Haven't sampled a bourbon like this before, as I usually drink these on the rocks without too much consideration (or occasionally with vermouth in a Manhattan).
The original formula for Bulleit bourbon whiskey was supposedly concocted by an Augustus Bulleit around 1800. He disappeared while transporting a batch of his bourbon to market. The current brand was began by Augustus' great-great-grandson, Tom Bulleit, who had always wanted to "revive the family's bourbon legacy, started more than 150 years ago" (bulleitbourbon.com). Became available in the United States in 1999 and is the only bourbon owned by the holding company Diageo, a giant in the Scotch world which owns 28 single malt distilleries.
Bourbon whiskey is a uniquely American spirit. It stems from the heritage of mountain farmers converting their crops into alcohol for easier transport through the Appalachians and a greater profit in the eastern cities. American whiskey production plays a role in much of early United States history. To stay true to its roots, bourbon whiskey is subject to a series of requirements:
It must be distilled from a grain mixture of at least 51% corn.
It must be aged in new, charred oak barrels. These are freshly blackened and, unlike those used for Scotch, have never been used to age another spirit. This gives bourbon a sweet woody characteristic imparted by the oak.
It must have been aged for at least two years, and no-age-statement bourbons must have been aged for at least four. In practice, most bourbon has been aged for more than this.
Also, it must contain no artificial caramel coloring, meaning the color of a bourbon is imparted by the oak aging alone. The use of caramel color is an often-criticized aspect of much Scotch whisky distillation, with some connoisseurs claiming it adds a subtle bitter chemical aftertaste and removes any meaning from the color of a whisky. Not all Scotches use this, but many do, and many well-known whiskies would be much lighter in color were it not for the caramel.
Finally, to taste this thing. Bulleit contains more rye than many bourbons, approximately 30%. It is bottled at 45% alcohol by volume.
Nose:
Sweet caramel (scent; I just finished typing about how there's no caramel color). A bit of maple syrup. Characteristic bourbon, with the rye element present and noticeable. No smoke on the nose, just a syrupy sweetness and a strong apple aroma. Smells like autumn.
Taste:
Sweet, oaky vanilla and maple. Alcohol. Tastes like bourbon. A touch of smoke on the finish, but nothing like Scottish peat, just the hints of charcoal from the new oak barrel aging.
Not a bad drink at all. Very smooth, especially given its relatively high proof. Sweet and quite tasty, but lacks the complexity of a single malt Scotch.
