Bulleit Bottled In Bond Bourbon
The Stats
- Distillery: Bulleit Distilling Co.
- Type: Bottled In Bond Bourbon
- Age: 4+ Years
- Proof: 100 (50% ALC/VOL)
- Mash Bill: Undisclosed
- Release: Standard
- Price: $50
Their Whiskey. Their Way. Finally. For years, Bulleit was known as the bartender’s bourbon—dependable, affordable, and built for mixing. But behind the barstool reputation was a different truth: Bulleit wasn’t making its own whiskey.
That changes here.
Bulleit Bottled in Bond is the first wide-release bourbon made entirely from Bulleit’s own distillate—distilled, aged, and bottled at their Shelbyville, Kentucky facility. It’s not just bottled-in-bond by law—it’s bonded to Bulleit’s future. This bottle is the first true glimpse of what Bulleit tastes like when they have complete control.
A New Era for a Familiar Name
This isn’t the high-rye sourced bourbon most people associate with Bulleit. The mash bill has shifted, with significantly more corn and less rye, resulting in a rounder, sweeter character. It’s still bottled at 100 proof and aged a minimum of four years (it’s bottled at six), but it tastes like a brand starting fresh.
That alone makes it one of the most important releases in the Bulleit lineup to date. It’s not just an extension—it’s a reset.
Tasting Notes
Aroma:
Warm and citrus forward. Notes of caramel corn, vanilla, and toasted barrel notes are initially present, followed by apple pie filling, grilled peach, oranges, and a light cinnamon finish. It smells like a fresh start—and in the best way.
Taste:
Soft but bold. Peppery. It opens with sweet corn, fruit, toasted brown sugar, and graham crackers, then shifts into oak spice, orange peel, and roasted nuts. It’s less spicy than traditional Bulleit and leans more toward classic bonded bourbon—think mellow heat, with a balanced rye punch.
Finish:
Medium. Notes of dry oak, vanilla, and black pepper linger, accompanied by just a hint of tannin. There’s a calm confidence to the finish—it doesn’t scream, but it doesn’t fade away either.
Artfully Bourbon Rating
7.5 / 10 - GOOD
Bulleit Bottled in Bond isn’t just a higher-proof version of the classic orange-label pour—it’s a declaration. This is Bulleit’s own distillate, crafted from grain to barrel under their roof. And while it still has the bones of a cocktail bourbon, it’s got more structure, more flavor, and more identity than anything they’ve released before.
This bottle marks the start of something new. It’s not perfect, but it’s a promising first chapter in a distillery finally stepping into its own story.
Pour it neat. Sip it slow. This is Bulleit, unblended and unborrowed. And it’s the best from the distillery so far.
