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Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength Review

By Josh Peters @TheWhiskeyJug
Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength started as a KY only release focused on the on-premise market and with its success it’s expanded beyond the bar and into the home… namely my home. Which is where I tasted this sample of mystery whiskey and I have to say… I like it. They should make this a regular thing; if the stocks of Old Grand-Dad can hold out that is (for those just tuning in, I think Jim Beam is Bulleit’s current contract distiller). In Bulleit’s Words: Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength
“Bulleit Barrel Strength is medium-amber in color, with gentle spiciness and sweet oak aromas. The mid-palate is smooth with tones of maple, oak and nutmeg.  The finish is long, dry, and satiny with light toffee flavors, and deepened oak notes.”
That’s their take on this whiskey and if you’re curious about mine, and why wouldn’t you be, hop on down to the Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength review below.

Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength Info

Region: Kentucky, USA Distiller: Unknown (likely Jim Beam) Bottler: Bulleit Mashbill: Corn, Rye and Malted Barley Cask: New Charred Oak Age: NAS ABV: 59.7% Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color Batch: 2 Price: $60*

Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength Review

EYE
Dark amber

NOSE
Sweet rustic; toffee, rye spice, oak, leather, vanilla, dark fruit, pepper and a bit of citrus and biscuits. Nice

PALATE
Chocolate Oak; toffee, rye spice, citrus, oak, cocoa, cinnamon, leather, dark fruit, nuts and a touch of vanilla and biscuits. Awesome

FINISH
Long -> Oak, toffee, brown sugar, vanilla, nuts and biscuits.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Great sense of balance, round full body and a warm feel that’s a touch acidic.

OVERALL
Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength is good, no scratch that, it’s great stuff. This is the type of bourbon I want to drink all the time and I think that someone, cough Beam cough, really dropped the ball here. Whoever distilled this excellent high rye whiskey could have made a mint releasing this cask strength offering themselves. This is good stuff.

It’s absolutely true that Bulleit (Diageo) could be sourcing from multiple sources to make their bourbon and if that’s true then I feel like a significant portion has to be from Beam. I get so many similarities in this and the current Bulleit release to OGD that it has to be more than mere coincidence. Partner this “coincidence” with the fact that Beam has been reducing their public output of OGD and too many things line up for it be a mere coincidence. Regardless, this is good whiskey and should you get the chance, try it.

SCORE: 90/100 (A-)

*Disclosure: This Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength sample was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.