Whisky Advocate Exclusive: Bulleit Enters the American Single Malt Space

Bulleit is best known for its flagship bourbon and rye, which are perennial favorites behind the bar. While the distillery has invested in innovation with some limited releases such as Blenders’ Select and Barrel Strength, the spotlight has never strayed far from its core whiskeys. But more recently the distilling team has been working on a new whiskey, one that neither Bulleit nor owner Diageo have ever explored before: an American single malt.

The new Bulleit single malt is of course made with 100% barley, with most of it coming from the Pacific Northwest. Even as American single malt guidelines allow for any type of barrel to be used for maturation, Bulleit’s single malt is aged entirely in new American oak. “It was important for us to make this American single malt distinctly Bulleit, which is why we use the same casks that we age our Bulleit bourbon and rye in,” says Jesse Damashek, senior vice president of whiskies and liqueurs at Diageo.

A few other American single malts, such as Stranahan's and Clermont Steep, are aged exclusively in new charred oak, but Bulleit’s iteration has a decidedly different flavor profile from those and most American single malts. “This whiskey has a backbone of light red fruit and pear, with minimal graininess and maltiness compared to other American single malts,” explains Phil Gelineau, Diageo’s senior liquid innovation manager. “That’s because we use fruity yeast strains, and it drives more of those fruit-forward characters.” The fruit is indeed pronounced on the nose and palate, but it’s balanced by pleasant notes of caramel, cocoa powder, and vanilla cupcake. A 45% abv also makes for easy sipping.

Aside from the liquid itself, Bulleit is utilizing recycled glass for the packaging, in line with Diageo’s dedication to sustainable practices.

While Bulleit single malt will be available nationwide at $60, it’s not yet a permanent addition to the portfolio; Damashek notes there will be more to come in future years, as the distillery is committed to the long-term future of American single malt. That may translate to unique cask finishes down the road, with exploration into new cask types ongoing.