It’s a lesson once again in well-known obscurity as we once again have something to review that we here know well enough about, something we’ve carried in our bar and ordered in others, and yet something that for some reason hasn’t made it to this damn website. So let’s hear it for Bulliet rye for being all the rye you ever truly need, but maybe not what you want.
As you can tell by the state of the bottle this went fairly fast here in the lounge, because when you randomly have to review something that makes good old fashioned’s and your favorite cocktail bar closed down on New Years – well you cope. We do apologize for harping on about 1 cocktail here though because as the scores show this is damn fine neat as well.
What they Say: “Distilled and aged in the Bulleit Family tradition. Made using a 95% rye mash for a superior American rye whiskey experience.”
Taste: 7.0 – You get that rye flavor, but it’s sweetened instead of backed by smoke or wood. It’s actually quite delicious.
Aftertaste: 7.0 – Here the smokey flavors take back over and complement the rye in the most delightful way,
Burn/Smooth: 5.0 – It does burn. However, it somehow feels like a controlled burn, like a rocket. It never goes too strong, but it knows it has to do the job. There’s also some nice warmth.
Aroma: 5.0 – It’s very light, you have to dig deep here, and what you get is table scraps. Sure it’s a nice rye whiskey, but you are supposed to know that when you uncork the bottle.
Honesty: 7.0 – They say very little, and the Bulleit bottle style manages to stand out by being classically shaped (instead of some of the oddities from the small batch), but it’s easy enough to identify when you ask for a cocktail to spot that you’re getting Bulleit. Their rye is a favorite of the lounge second only to George Dickel for the more common usage.
Mixability: 6.67
W/ Rocks: 6.0 – That harshness is gone, and it opens up to reveal – more caramel? The rye is very much there and a focus, but there’s a weird added sweetness. However, judging this as just some whiskey on the rocks it’s still like – good.
Whiskey and Coke: 6.5 – That sweetness the ice/water brings is welcome here as it’s not too strong. Overall it’s pretty good, not stellar, but considering how often ryes can go astray – well done.
Old Fashioned: 7.5 – A Bulliet Rye old fashioned is not going to be the top choice for someone who truly loves old fashioned, but it is the one you are more likely to actually get in a situation of a bar where you can ask for a whiskey. Sure there are greater whiskeys, but it’s not like they always have those. This is, however, less a compromise and more a damn solid cocktail maker.
Value: 5.0 – We paid a little bit less than that, but not much. Overall it’s about on par for the price. Yes, it is expensive, but it has some genuine enjoyable bright spots neat or in an old fashioned. Sure if this was 20 dollars instead of near 30 we’d be singing its praises from as high a mountain we could find, but as-is – you get what you put in.
Google Shop Average: $29
Website: https://www.bulleit.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.5
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Metric Score: 42.67/70 |+| Metric Average: 6.1 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.5
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Final Thoughts: While we still wish it was a beat cheaper – it’s nice to know our personal affinity to Bulleit isn’t some marketing BS but just an observed feeling requiring recording. In a field crowded by small batches and crazy one-offs, Bulleit remains an above average, solid foundation of a whiskey for you to build on.
