Bulleit Bourbon

Bulleit Bourbon is a Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof), and its calling card is a high-rye mash bill. Rye in the grain mix usually shows up as a dry, peppery edge, and bourbons built this way tend to taste leaner and spicier than the corn-sweet, wheated style. Expect that spice to sit over vanilla, honey and toasted oak, with a medium-long finish that stays warm rather than sharp. The 45% strength is a little above the 40% minimum, which gives the spirit some body without making it hard to sip. Neat is the right way to learn this bourbon. Pour about 50 ml, let it sit a minute, and nose it before tasting: the rye spice tends to come first, with the sweeter vanilla and caramel notes following. If the alcohol feels forward, a few drops of room-temperature water open the aroma and soften the peppery bite without flattening the oak. A single large ice cube is a good alternative, since it chills the pour slowly and keeps dilution gradual. Crushed or small cubes will water it down too quickly. The rye backbone is what makes it work in cocktails. In an Old Fashioned, it holds up against sugar and bitters, and the spice offsets the sweetness so the drink doesn't turn syrupy. A Manhattan made with sweet vermouth and aromatic bitters suits it well, because the dry spice cuts through the vermouth's richness. In a Whiskey Sour, the honey and vanilla notes round off the lemon's acidity, and a bar spoon of egg white adds body. For a Highball, pour over plenty of ice and top with ginger ale or soda water at roughly one part bourbon to three of mixer, then finish with a lemon or orange peel. For glassware, a Glencairn or similar tulip-shaped glass concentrates the aromas and suits careful nosing and small, slow pours. A rocks glass is the better choice for a large cube or for building an Old Fashioned directly in the glass. At the table, the bourbon's caramel and spice fit smoked or grilled meats, barbecue glazes and aged cheddar, and dark chocolate works as a simple pairing.