There are some whiskeys I’ve prevented writing about for no motive aside from them having eluded me, as a result of rarity or probability. This isn’t a type of whiskeys.
Tright here’s unhealthy stuff that occurs in whiskey, as in some other business. Because the world lately has change into extra sympathetic to the voices of those that have been oppressed, marginalized, or in any other case abused, extra of those tales have began coming to mild.
The accusations in opposition to Tom Bulleit by his estranged daughter Hollis are horrendous. Bulleit’s proprietor, Diageo, appeared to agree (whereas nonetheless disputing features of Hollis’ account); in 2019, Tom Bulleit stepped downas model ambassador. The model’s fame was additional tarnished by the accusations of former Bulleit grasp blender Eboni Main. Her lawsuit alleges racist and anti-Semitic remarks that weren’t handled appropriately, along with her personal skilled mistreatment by the corporate.
Each these unhappy tales have unlucky echoes of so many others that we’ve heard for the reason that “me too” revolution started holding the highly effective (largely – however not all the time – males) to process for his or her sins and crimes. I’ve little interest in re-litigating the instances of Ms. Price nor Ms. Main, each of which have already been tried within the courtroom of public opinion. Nor do I’ve the flexibility to show or disprove both lady’s accusations in a means that will add something to the discourse round Bulleit and/or Diageo.
That’s to not say that I’m detached to any wrongs executed in opposition to them. I’m extra sympathetic to this pair than I’m to the multinational company that trumpets a dedication to variety and LGBTQ rights whereas apparently falling nicely brief in follow. That is maybe the largest motive why I’ve prevented shopping for, ingesting, or reviewing any Bulleit whiskey lately. I don’t really feel that this has been to my detriment; there’s a lot nice bourbon on the market at aggressive costs that I don’t consider excluding a single model – regardless of how ubiquitous – would impair my capability to make a good comparative evaluation of others.
You would possibly then be questioning concerning the circumstances which have resulted in my reviewing a bottle of Bulleit bourbon at this time? The whiskey I’ll be contemplating was left at my home by a beneficiant visitor throughout a crowded Halloween occasion; sadly, they didn’t determine themselves. Nameless benefactor, you might have my sincerest thanks.
Going again to Bulleit: even setting apart the very regarding points raised above, it’s not a model that will get a whole lot of love from bourbon or rye whiskey drinkers. Why, aside from the troubling aforementioned episodes, has the Bulleit model did not generate a lot enthusiasm amongst American whiskey followers?
A bit of recent model historical past: Diageo acquired Bulleit in 2001, as a part of its joint acquisition (with Pernod Ricard) of the Seagram wine and spirits portfolio. With the industrial and advertising and marketing would possibly of a global conglomerate behind it, Bulleit gross sales grew exponentially. Its flagship bourbon and rye whiskies at the moment are a mainstay behind most bars on this nation, as commonplace as Diageo stablemates Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker.
The model was established primarily based on sourced bourbon from 4 Roses (additionally a Seagram holding), in addition to rye whiskey from (you guessed it!) MGP (once more, Seagram). In 2017, Diageo opened the Bulleit Distillery in Shelbyville, KY, although it’s protected to say not one of the 10 yr bourbon within the bottle at hand was distilled there. The corporate as soon as maintained the disused Stitzel Weller distillery as a Bulleit guests heart, although a pleasant reader has written to tell me that they’ve now dropped the Bulleit affiliation and transformed this right into a extra Stitzel Weller targeted expertise.
Trendy Bulleit’s lineup consists of a NAS bourbon and rye (each $30, and 90 proof/45% ABV), the next proof “Barrel Power” bourbon ($55, and 120-125 proof, relying on the batch), at this time’s 10 yr bourbon, and the “Blenders’ Choose” restricted version bourbon ($50, and 100 proof/50% ABV). In my years of monitoring the American whiskey zeitgeist, solely the latter registered any noticeable impression on my equal Richter scale. Even then, I think that the concurrent press protection of Ms. Main’s lawsuit performed a job in garnering extra consideration for the expression.
Maybe it’s that folk don’t really feel like they’re getting something from Bulleit that they couldn’t discover – usually at extra aggressive costs – from different distilleries? In spite of everything, it’s not like there’s any scarcity of MGP rye. Sticking to bourbon: excessive rye NAS expressions can be found from 4 Roses in a number of codecs. 10 yr bourbon at 90 proof may be discovered for about $35 from Wild Turkey and, with growing frequency, from Buffalo Hint (nature is therapeutic; the Eagle soars once more).
Let’s focus solely on what we all know concerning the technical features of what’s within the bottle: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, aged ten years, and bottled at a power of 91.2 proof (45.6% ABV). It’s from a excessive rye mash invoice of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% barley. You would possibly notice that this sits roughly midway between the 4 Roses “E” (20% rye) and “B” (35% rye) mash payments.
A 750 ml bottle retails for $50 close to me, which I’ll use as a worth for analysis on our price-sensitive scoring bands. Making an allowance for the competitors and the worth, this may should be exactly 42.9% higher than Eagle Uncommon or Russell’s 10 in an effort to justify a constructive rating.
Bulleit Bourbon Aged 10 Years – Evaluate
Coloration: Medium amber.
On the nostril: Gentle, fruity, floral and candy. This instantly presents confectioners’ sugar, bubblegum, and floral hand cleaning soap. There are some natural accents of mint and tarragon in right here, however largely this tacks towards the brilliant and cheery finish of the fragrant register. After somewhat time within the glass, I begin to discover a extra austere side to this, which I attribute to the excessive rye within the mash invoice. Spring flowers additionally develop extra physique and fill out; I would even have pegged this for 4 Roses, had I nosed it blind.
Within the mouth: Begins with a tart citrus notice, which shortly pivots to a stern notice of limestone. That drying minerality propels the whiskey up the tongue, the place it develops a bitterly nutty notice of almonds for a second. There, this thins out by way of mouthfeel, tacking extra towards some tannic, drying woody flavors and textures. This turns into bitter because it strikes into the end, the place the flavors fade abruptly, abandoning solely an echo of that sourness as an aftertaste, in addition to a mildly tingly warmth.
Conclusions:
This isn’t nearly as good as Russell’s Reserve 10 or Eagle Uncommon, missing a lot of the complexity and taste improvement evident in these bourbons. I’m even undecided that that is nearly as good as 4 Roses Small Batch by itself deserves, by no means thoughts accounting for the distinction in worth ($32 to $35 for the 4 Roses). Those that take pleasure in a excessive rye mash invoice can be nicely suggested to seek out extra competitively priced choices from the supply of this whiskey.
Rating: 4/10
Will I be going out to purchase one other bottle of Bulleit? Actually not. Even disregarding the truth that it affords comparatively poor worth for the cash: although the bourbon isn’t objectionable, there’s a metaphorical unhealthy style lingering in my mouth from all the things I’ve recounted above. As Warren Buffett as soon as correctly endorsed: “It takes 20 years to construct a fame and 5 minutes to wreck it.” Within the eyes of many bourbon followers – your humble author included – Bulleit’s model fame has been irremediably tarnished in a means that I’m undecided can ever be rectified.
