Kilkerran 8 yo ?Cask Strength? (56.5%, OB, bourbon, 2018) – Kilkerran 12 yo 2007/2020 (57.8%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, refill sherry hogshead, 330 bottles)
Glenfarclas 12 yo (43%, OB, +/-2019) – Glenfarclas 2010/2019 ?City Hunter? (60.4%, OB, Whisky Mew Japan, sherry butt, cask #1497) – Glenfarclas 9 yo 2009/2019 (59.4, OB for Le Gus?t, sherry hogshead, cask #1797, 320 bottles) – Glenfarclas 40 yo 1976/20…
Ordonneau ?Domaine de la Grolette Tres Vieillie Reserve des Borderies? (40%, OB, +/-2018) – Vallein Tercinier 43 yo ?Lot 75? (46.9%, Maltbarn, Petite Champagne, 171 bottles, 2020)
Smogen Triple 5 yo 2011/2017 (54%, OB, cask #5-6/2011, European oak sauternes barriques, 882 bottles) – Smogen 7 yo 2011/2019 (62.4%, OB, cask #56/2011, 1st fill barrel + rum finish, 325 bottles) – Smogen 7 yo 2011/2019 (62.2%, OB, cask #57/2011, 1st f…
Laphroaig 2005/2019 ?PX, I love you? (54.4%, OB, for Loch Key, USA, cask #3, Vintage Cask) – Laphroaig 18 yo 2001/2019 (59.3%, Signatory Vintage, for La Maison du Whisky, refill sherry butt, cask #319, 606 bottles)
BULLEIT 95 RYE DISTILLERY: Bulleit Distillery, a division of Diageo MASH BILL: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley CASK: New Charred American Oak AGE: 4-7 years PROOF: 90 Proof (45% ABV) PRICE: $52.99 (750mL) (Rate This Bourbon Yourself!) Buy Bottle […]
The post BULLEIT 95 RYE REVIEW appeared first on Bourbon Of The Day.
For this post, we’ve decided to venture a little outside of the regular bourbon reviews route and into some Rye territory. If bourbon is the sweet cousin to standard whiskey, then rye whiskey is like its older brother. While the smooth, succulent tones of corn mash are delightful, a good rye can give you a little more pep in your step. In this case, we’re looking at Bulleit 95 Rye, so named for its incredible 95% rye mash bill content.
If you’re a strict bourbon-only drinker, you’ll notice a sharp difference between this 95 Rye and Bulleit’s standard bourbon, which is 68% corn and only 28% rye. We’ve done a review of Bulleit Bourbon as well.
Technically speaking, Bulleit bourbon has only been around since 1987. That’s when Tom Bulleit, a former lawyer, decided to take a hard left in his career path and go from practicing the law to distilling the brown stuff. However, it’s not like bourbon wasn’t already in his blood. According to Tom, the first batch of Bulleit bourbon was made in 1830 by his great-great-grandfather Augustus.
Apparently, bourbon was something of a passion for Augustus, who continued to perfect his recipe for 30 years. However, all was almost lost when the master distiller himself vanished without a trace in 1860. Legend has it that he was transporting several barrels from Kentucky to New Orleans when his wagon just disappeared. No one knows what happened to him, but fortunately for Tom, his work didn’t evaporate with the rest of him. We choose to believe that Ole’ Augie decided to leave the life of a distiller and found a spot for him to enjoy his creation for the rest of his days.
In modern times, Bulleit bourbon really hit the mainstream in 1999, when the company was bought out by Seagram. In 2001, conglomerate Diageo bought Seagram, and they’re the current owners of the Bulleit brand. Interestingly, Bulleit is made in the same distillery as Four Roses, which uses a similar mash bill for its small-batch bourbon.
As far as the 95 Rye goes, Bulleit is apparently getting back to its roots. Augustus seemed to like the dry, spicy taste of rye bourbon, as his original blend had over two-thirds of it. This version has been around since 2011, and it comes in regular or 12-year if you’re feeling saucy.
Since its debut, this bourbon has won multiple awards, including gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and high marks from the Beverage Testing Institute and the Spirit Journal. With such a refined pedigree, this bourbon has a lot of hype to live up to.
I had been looking at this bottle for a few days, waiting for the perfect moment to break it open and take a sip. Oddly enough, I’m not being hyperbolic about the “breaking open” part. When twisting the cap off, I managed to split it, rendering it useless. I have been working out lately, but I didn’t think my grip had improved that much. Fortunately, bourbon is always good in a decanter, so all the more reason to use one.
The aroma coming off was sweet and oaky. I could get hints of the spiciness that was to come, along with a few other scents – anise, vanilla, and something else I couldn’t quite figure out. I poured it into the glass and let it breathe for a moment. Not being used to rye bourbon, the first sip was the strongest. If you’re not careful, this whiskey can put some hair on your chest. Thankfully, it mellows out almost immediately, and subsequent sips were much more pleasant.
Once the shock of the rye died down, the flavor of this bourbon was rather delightful. The mixture of spices and vanilla were highly present, and they scurried across my tongue playfully, like muses dancing in the moonlight. The finish was also incredibly smooth. Although ryes are not usually as sweet as their corn mash counterparts, this bourbon has a much more mild aftertaste.
Because Bulleit 95 Rye is so mellow, it’s perfect by itself or on the rocks. You don’t need to sully its good flavor profile by mixing it with soda or anything. This is definitely a sipping bourbon – ideal for the end of a long, hard day. This is a drink that’ll first snap you back to reality and then wash away your worries. It’s a whiskey that works for both everyday consumption and celebrations. Fortunately, the price of a bottle won’t set you back too far, so you can add it to your regular stock.
If you’re a fan of Bulleit already, then you’ll appreciate the 95 Rye as well. The company prides itself on already having a high rye content compared to other bourbons, although the difference between this and their standard version is pretty stark.
Because of its rich tapestry of flavor, coupled with its mellow finish, and very affordable bottle price, I’d rate this an A-. As far as rye whiskeys go, I have to believe this one is spoiling me somewhat.
I can’t imagine that all ryes taste this good, so I’ll have to keep this around for when I find one that really sends a shock to my system.
Tasting this rye also makes me curious about the 12-year variety. If this one is already so smooth, how can more aging help refine its palate? Perhaps another trip to the store is needed to uncover this mystery.
Have you tried Bulleit 95 Rye Whiskey? If so, what did you think about it? Leave your own rating by using the stars below and click here to leave a comment.
The post BULLEIT 95 RYE REVIEW appeared first on Bourbon Of The Day.
BULLEIT 95 RYE DISTILLERY: Bulleit Distillery, a division of Diageo MASH BILL: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley CASK: New Charred American Oak AGE: 4-7 years PROOF: 90 Proof (45% ABV) PRICE: $52.99 (750mL) (Rate This Bourbon Yourself!) Buy Bottle […]
The post BULLEIT 95 RYE REVIEW appeared first on Bourbon Of The Day.
For this post, we’ve decided to venture a little outside of the regular bourbon reviews route and into some Rye territory. If bourbon is the sweet cousin to standard whiskey, then rye whiskey is like its older brother. While the smooth, succulent tones of corn mash are delightful, a good rye can give you a little more pep in your step. In this case, we’re looking at Bulleit 95 Rye, so named for its incredible 95% rye mash bill content.
If you’re a strict bourbon-only drinker, you’ll notice a sharp difference between this 95 Rye and Bulleit’s standard bourbon, which is 68% corn and only 28% rye. We’ve done a review of Bulleit Bourbon as well.
Technically speaking, Bulleit bourbon has only been around since 1987. That’s when Tom Bulleit, a former lawyer, decided to take a hard left in his career path and go from practicing the law to distilling the brown stuff. However, it’s not like bourbon wasn’t already in his blood. According to Tom, the first batch of Bulleit bourbon was made in 1830 by his great-great-grandfather Augustus.
Apparently, bourbon was something of a passion for Augustus, who continued to perfect his recipe for 30 years. However, all was almost lost when the master distiller himself vanished without a trace in 1860. Legend has it that he was transporting several barrels from Kentucky to New Orleans when his wagon just disappeared. No one knows what happened to him, but fortunately for Tom, his work didn’t evaporate with the rest of him. We choose to believe that Ole’ Augie decided to leave the life of a distiller and found a spot for him to enjoy his creation for the rest of his days.
In modern times, Bulleit bourbon really hit the mainstream in 1999, when the company was bought out by Seagram. In 2001, conglomerate Diageo bought Seagram, and they’re the current owners of the Bulleit brand. Interestingly, Bulleit is made in the same distillery as Four Roses, which uses a similar mash bill for its small-batch bourbon.
As far as the 95 Rye goes, Bulleit is apparently getting back to its roots. Augustus seemed to like the dry, spicy taste of rye bourbon, as his original blend had over two-thirds of it. This version has been around since 2011, and it comes in regular or 12-year if you’re feeling saucy.
Since its debut, this bourbon has won multiple awards, including gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and high marks from the Beverage Testing Institute and the Spirit Journal. With such a refined pedigree, this bourbon has a lot of hype to live up to.
I had been looking at this bottle for a few days, waiting for the perfect moment to break it open and take a sip. Oddly enough, I’m not being hyperbolic about the “breaking open” part. When twisting the cap off, I managed to split it, rendering it useless. I have been working out lately, but I didn’t think my grip had improved that much. Fortunately, bourbon is always good in a decanter, so all the more reason to use one.
The aroma coming off was sweet and oaky. I could get hints of the spiciness that was to come, along with a few other scents – anise, vanilla, and something else I couldn’t quite figure out. I poured it into the glass and let it breathe for a moment. Not being used to rye bourbon, the first sip was the strongest. If you’re not careful, this whiskey can put some hair on your chest. Thankfully, it mellows out almost immediately, and subsequent sips were much more pleasant.
Once the shock of the rye died down, the flavor of this bourbon was rather delightful. The mixture of spices and vanilla were highly present, and they scurried across my tongue playfully, like muses dancing in the moonlight. The finish was also incredibly smooth. Although ryes are not usually as sweet as their corn mash counterparts, this bourbon has a much more mild aftertaste.
Because Bulleit 95 Rye is so mellow, it’s perfect by itself or on the rocks. You don’t need to sully its good flavor profile by mixing it with soda or anything. This is definitely a sipping bourbon – ideal for the end of a long, hard day. This is a drink that’ll first snap you back to reality and then wash away your worries. It’s a whiskey that works for both everyday consumption and celebrations. Fortunately, the price of a bottle won’t set you back too far, so you can add it to your regular stock.
If you’re a fan of Bulleit already, then you’ll appreciate the 95 Rye as well. The company prides itself on already having a high rye content compared to other bourbons, although the difference between this and their standard version is pretty stark.
Because of its rich tapestry of flavor, coupled with its mellow finish, and very affordable bottle price, I’d rate this an A-. As far as rye whiskeys go, I have to believe this one is spoiling me somewhat.
I can’t imagine that all ryes taste this good, so I’ll have to keep this around for when I find one that really sends a shock to my system.
Tasting this rye also makes me curious about the 12-year variety. If this one is already so smooth, how can more aging help refine its palate? Perhaps another trip to the store is needed to uncover this mystery.
Have you tried Bulleit 95 Rye Whiskey? If so, what did you think about it? Leave your own rating by using the stars below and click here to leave a comment.
The post BULLEIT 95 RYE REVIEW appeared first on Bourbon Of The Day.
Laphroaig 20 yo 1998/2018 (58.3%, Signatory Vintage 30th Anniversary, cask #700392, refill sherry butt, 573 bottles) – Laphroaig 21 yo 1998/2019 (54.4%, The Whisky Exchange, The Perfect Measure, oloroso, cask #117, 322 bottles)
Laphroaig 12 yo (43%, OB, Bonfanti Milano, stone flagon, 75cl, +/-1975) – Laphroaig 12 yo 2006/2019 (57.2%, Distiller?s Art for HNWS, refill sherry butt, cask #HL15653, 546 bottles)
World Cup Final Wrap UpThat’s a wrap, folks! The Bourbon Gents World Cup 2020 is over.2 weeks ago we started with 64 bourbons and a lot of excitement. Some matches were tight, some were one-sided victories, we even had a draw to decide on. In the end t…
That’s a wrap, folks! The Bourbon Gents World Cup 2020 is over.
2 weeks ago we started with 64 bourbons and a lot of excitement. Some matches were tight, some were one-sided victories, we even had a draw to decide on. In the end though, it always comes down to those two bourbons facing off.
The final started off how it always does with Four Roses Single Barrel taking the lead and… Wait, no, that’s not right. This was, of course, to be the first-ever final not to feature the previous undefeated king of the World Cup. Instead, Weller 12 and Old Rip Van Winkle took to the stage to battle it out.
Old Rip Van Winkle was drawn in the home dressing room (they could probably smell Four Roses still lingering in the air) and Weller 12, the underdogs (according to the bookies) paced around nervously in the away dressing room. Voting time is always extended to 48 hours for the final so we had a long match ahead of us.
From the start, this was one of those close, tense affairs. There was to be no easy victory here, whoever won was going to earn it. Percentages were tight throughout the game and at half time it really could have gone either way.
Weller 12 was slightly in front heading into the second day of voting but, with the margins so tight, it wouldn’t take much for Old Rip to get back in the game. At this stage, it was still anyone’s trophy to win, but who wanted it more? Coming into the final hour of voting it still wasn’t clear which of these bourbons was going to take home the famous trophy. The Gents were getting out the engraving equipment ready to etch the winners’ name but who would it be?
Weller 12 had led for a good part of the match but you could tell that Old Rip Van Winkle wasn’t finished yet and in the blink of an eye, they were level. This was it, whoever took the lead now would probably win it as there wasn’t much time left for anyone to mount a comeback. The match was on a knife-edge, the Gents and the watching public at home held their breath…
There was a flurry of activity and one bourbon was now 4% ahead…
Just a few minutes left
Still, that bourbon held on
into the last few seconds
A loud claxon sounded and the voting closed. We had a winner by 52% to 48%….
Old Rip Van Winkle!
The crowd went wild and a huge roar came from the home supporters end. Their bourbon of choice had just won the 2020 Bourbon Gents World Cup. Scenes!
Take a bow Old Rip Van Winkle. Bourbon Gents World Cup Winner 2020.
What we love about this World Cup and the ethos of the competition since its inception is that it is you who decides the winner, our Twitter friends throughout the World. The end result of who is crowned the 2020 Bourbon Gents World Cup is and was decided by worldwide bourbon fans.
We thank each and every one of you who helped decide this year’s winner and we are already looking forward to doing it all over again in 2021.
For the Would cup geeks among you here is the full 2020 World Cup wall chart with all the scores and winners of all the matches.
