A Bourbon-Rye Blend from Bulleit

Since the advent of High West Bourye in 2009, bourbon-rye blends have been part of the American whiskey universe; these days, they’re more prolific than ever before. Many an American distiller or blender has tried their hand at a blend of the two styles, ranging from James B. Beam Distilling (Knob Creek Bourbon X Rye) to Blue Run (Flight Series) to Cedar Ridge (Slipknot No. 9 Reserve) to Wild Turkey (Forgiven) and more. The latest to throw its hat in the ring? Bulleit, which has introduced Bulleit ’87.

The new Bulleit blends two disparate components: Bulleit bourbon, distilled, barreled, and aged in Shelbyville, Kentucky, and rye distilled and aged at MGP in Indiana. Both whiskeys are aged 4 years and finished separately with toasted American oak and French oak staves for 4 to 6 weeks—an anomaly for Bulleit, which has never before finished its whiskeys with staves. Whiskey R&D manager Phil Gelineau refers to the resulting whiskey as “like a cake” in its construction, with bourbon acting as the sponge, rye as chocolate shavings, and the staves as buttercream. Unlike its flagship bourbon and rye, which are often found in cocktails, the distillery is recommending the new whiskey be sipped neat or on the rocks for optimal enjoyment. At just $30, it’s a release that doesn't break the bank.

The whiskey’s name refers to the year Bulleit was founded (1987). Since that year, just two whiskeys have been part of the core portfolio—Bulleit bourbon and Bulleit 95 rye—making Bulleit ’87 only the third permanent whiskey introduced by the distillery in its nearly 40-year history. It'll be on shelves starting in September. As part of the release, Bulleit is taking the whiskey on a sampling tour, hitting 15 cities, including New York City, Los Angeles, Austin, New Orleans, and Louisville, along the way (stops will be announced on Bulleit's Instagram).

Bulleit’s foundation is built on high-rye bourbon and 95% rye, 5% malted barley rye—two whiskeys that, when the distillery got its start, weren’t nearly as common as they are today. The bourbon held down the fort for the distillery’s first 24 years, before rye was added in 2011. Over the past decade, numerous limited editions have also joined the Bulleit lineup, many of them with age statements—including a 20 year old rye released earlier this month. While all of the distillery’s rye remains sourced from MGP, it ramped up its bourbon capabilities with two new distilleries toward the end of the 2010s, one in Shelbyville, Kentucky capable of producing 3 million proof gallons and the other, a mammoth operation in Lebanon with capacity for 10 million proof gallons per year (though that distillery temporarily paused production last year).