The Last Call

     Every now and then a distillery decides to step outside of its comfort zone and throw something unexpected onto the shelf. That’s exactly what Bulleit did with their Mesquite Smoked Malt Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Most people know Bulleit for dependable pours like their bourbon and rye, staples that show up in countless cocktails and back bars because they’re affordable, approachable, and easy to enjoy. But over the last few years, Bulleit has been experimenting more with limited releases, older age statements, bottled-in-bond offerings, and even American single malts.      Now they’ve decided to lean into smoked grain territory. Instead of relying on rye for spice, this bourbon swaps things around with a mash bill featuring mesquite smoked malted barley. That immediately raises questions because smoked whiskey can go one of two ways: either balanced and interesting, or completely overpowering. Thankfully, this release lands much closer to the first cat...

     Bulleit’s 95 Rye 12 Year feels like a quiet surprise in a market that rarely leaves anything this good under the radar for long. Originally released years ago and then seemingly gone for good, it resurfaced in 2024 with little fanfare, almost as if Bulleit simply decided to remind people what well-aged MGP rye can be. With a 12-year age statement, a classic 95/5 mash bill, and a very approachable price point, expectations were already high before the cork was pulled.     As someone who has grown increasingly fond of rye over the past year, this bottle immediately caught my attention. The standard Bulleit Rye is okay overall, but this felt like a chance to see that familiar profile elevated by real age and careful barrel selection. According to  Bulleit they selected specific barrels for this release. For the full video review visit the link here:    https://youtu.be/6gFjqtBPsBc . Age Statement: 12 years. ABV: 46%. Mash bill: 95% rye, 5% ma...

     Now, Bulleit is one of those iconic names in the spirits world. They been doing some solid sourcing over the years with their standard Bourbon and Rye and expanding their portfolio with their 10 year Bourbon, 10 year Rye, 12 year Rye, and are recently American Single  Malt. Now, Bulleit is ready to step into the distillation field with their first release containing 100% their own whiskey. Barreled in 2017, they decided to keep this release a Bottled in Bond, though having no official age statement outside of the 4 years that comes with Bottled in Bond.     I was a bit shocked to actually find this on the shelf so soon from release here in Indiana. We typically don't see new drops that quickly, but I can honestly say I am excited to jump on this one when I saw it on the shelves.  For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/pMthA7PIuwo . Age Statement:  Minimum 4 years (Could be closer to 7 years due to distillation d...