Bulleit 87 Bourbon Rye Blend

Bulleit's 87 Bourbon Rye Blend is a bourbon-style whiskey sold in the US, and the name points to a rye-forward mash bill. Bourbon must be at least 51 percent corn, so a rye-heavy bill leaves a spicier, drier profile than wheated bourbons. The label doesn't list a proof or ABV, so check the bottle before planning a cocktail around its strength. Bulleit's regular bourbon is known for a high-rye recipe, and this bottling should lean the same way. Expect corn sweetness, vanilla and caramel from new charred oak, and a peppery, slightly herbal rye bite in the finish. Those notes come from the style, not from a measured profile for this bottle. Neat, in a Glencairn glass, is the best way to find out how much rye shows on the nose. The tapered rim gathers the aromas, and a small first sip lets the palate adjust before the spice registers. If it tastes sharp, add a few drops of room-temperature water. That loosens the alcohol and usually brings the vanilla and oak forward. For slower sipping, pour it over one large cube in a rocks glass. A big cube melts slowly and chills the whiskey without diluting it quickly. Small cubes turn a rye-leaning bourbon thin and watery fast. In cocktails the rye character is useful. An Old Fashioned (two ounces of whiskey, a sugar cube or a teaspoon of rich syrup, two dashes of Angostura bitters, an orange peel) lets the spice stand up to the sweetener. A Manhattan with sweet vermouth and bitters, stirred and served up, works the same way, since rye-leaning whiskey holds its shape against vermouth. For a Whiskey Sour, shake with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. An egg white adds a softer texture and a foam top. As a highball, pour over ice and top with ginger beer or soda water, with a lemon wedge. The ginger and the whiskey's pepper tend to complement each other.