The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B
Bulleit 12 Year Old Rye
(Credit: Diageo)
Although Bulleit now has a modern and sizable distillery running in Shelbyville, Kentucky, the brand is still based on sourced whiskey and will be for the foreseeable future. While there is some debate as to the extent to which the bourbon still uses whiskey from their old supplier, Four Roses, versus their current supplier, MGP, Bulleit Rye has always come from the ubiquitous source of so many sourced ryes: MGP’s 95% rye, 5% malted barley whiskey.
Bulleit Rye has long been a favorite budget buy for many a whiskey loving guy and gal, and now they have a middle aged version out. It’s 12 years old and is bottled at 46% ABV.
The Whiskey
This older MGP rye whiskey has an almost dark look to it, but not quite actually dark, with a coloring that straddles the line between sooty copper and light amber. Coating the glass really streaks it with tears.
The nose is light and dry, exactly what I would expect from a 92 proof MGP rye. It’s a little sweet and a little spicy, and actually just a little bit oily too.
The flavor is butterscotch and caramel in the main, accented by cinnamon and a pinch of raw ginger. In contrast with the scent, the flavor doesn’t run even remotely dry. The finish rolls off from there, light bodied and spicy.
While this middle aged MGP rye shows more character than most expressions coming from the Indiana distillery’s stock, it’s not as much character as I expect from a rye aged thusly. It’s fairly priced, considering that middle aged or older ryes are scarcer and therefore often fetch higher prices than their bourbon counterparts, but overall it is a nice sipper and just a nice sipper.
The Price
Expect to pay about $50 for a bottle of this Bulleit.
