Bulleit Single Malt Whiskey Review

Updated March 6, 2024

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B

Bulleit Single Malt
(Credit: Richard Thomas)

For more than a decade, American Malt Whiskey has been the unquestioned domain of the craft distiller. The mixology-driven Rye Crunch of 2011-12 gave small whiskey-makers some space to carve out a niche in reviving moribund rye whiskey styles, but most rye sold is still made by big distillers in Canada and the Upper South. Wheat Whiskey always had Bernheim, predating craft whiskey as we generally label it. But American malts, well, it wasn’t until very recently that the big players have decided to build on the efforts of folks like the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission and get in the game. Bulleit is the latest to join the party.

Before I go on, a clarification of terminology is necessary. American Malts follow the classic American pattern of being defined by the lead grain and new oak barrel aging, so 51%-plus malted barley in the mash and aged like bourbon. Woodford Reserve Straight Malt is an example. An American Single Malt follows the Scotch-Irish model, being 100% malted barley and aged in a mix of new and used casks. Bulleit’s latest addition, currently in limited release but undoubtedly intended for permanent status, is of the latter category.

Despite opening their own distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky in 2017, Bulleit did not make their new single malt in-house. One might guess the source was MGP’s 100% malt whiskey, as Bulleit began relying on MGP after their Four Roses contract concluded and the labeling seems to imply it, but that speculation is wrong. Although Bulleit would not identify the source, they indicated that it is in Kentucky while confirming it was not themselves. The list of Kentucky distilleries that were in a position five or six years ago to make a batch of single malt whiskey in the quantities Bulleit required is very small indeed.

The Whiskey
Bottled at 90 proof, the pour has a golden look to it. The nose is immediately suggestive of a lighter whiskey, especially compared to many craft malts (but, tellingly, not the MGP-derived malts I’ve tried). The cereal and herb base is there, but it lacks that hefty honeyed sweetness that often accompanies the category. Instead, the scent carries a pair of modest butterscotch and caramel notes. The flavor runs sweet and floral, turning a touch peppery at the end, turning to wood and pepper on the finish. Taken as a whole, it’s a light example of an American Single Malt, with no real surprises beyond that single point.

The Price
Bulleit Single Malt goes for $60 a bottle.