Last year, at about this time, I was touring bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. One of my visits was with Bulleit at their historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery, just five miles from Louisville. Naturally, I sampled all three of the well-known Bulleit whiskeys: Bulleit Bourbon, Bulleit Rye and Bulleit Bourbon 10 year old. But there was another I got to try: Bulleit Barrel Strength.

Bulleit Barrel Strength had just been released and was only available in Kentucky. I liked it quite a bit and hoped they would eventually put it into wider release. I’m pleased to say Bulleit has now expanded distribution somewhat and San Francisco is one of the lucky cities to get it.

I attended the Bulleit Barrel Strength launch event at Tradition, a San Francisco cocktail bar, on May 23. That gave me the opportunity to try the Bulleit Barrel Strength again, but in a variety of ways this time: neat, slightly cut with Old Limestone mixing water, and in four cocktails.

Tom Bulleit, the brand’s charming founder, was on hand for the launch.

What is Bulleit Barrel Strength?

Bulleit Barrel Strength starts out exactly the same way as Bulleit Bourbon. Bulleit Bourbon is a “high rye” bourbon with mash made from 68% corn, 28% rye and 4% malted barley. That cooks, is turned into beer and the beer is then distilled. After distillation, the clear, white spirit ages in oak barrels where it mellows, picks up additional flavors and takes on a rich, amber color.

Once the master distiller believes a particular barrel has reached the right level of maturity, the bourbon is removed and water added to drop the alcoholic strength down to 90 proof (45% alcohol).

This is where Bulleit Barrel Strength differs. It is bottled undiluted. The exact strength will vary between batches and barrels, but it’s typically 120-125 proof (60+% alcohol).  The retail price for a 750ml bottle is $59.95.

Why Barrel Strength?

Clearly, barrel strength liquors are more potent, ounce-for-ounce, than the more typical, diluted spirits. But alcohol is not the point. Most spirits, certainly whiskeys, thrive with water. Mixing bourbon with a bit of H2O creates a creamier texture and opens up new flavors and aromas. That’s certainly true of barrel strength bourbon.

Here are three good reasons to buy, barrel strength bourbons.

• Undiluted bourbon gives you a clear window into the pure character of that particular whiskey.  It’s both tasty and interesting.
• Barrel strength liquors allow you to mix in water to your taste. Some water is definitely advised—that’s how the master distillers drink whiskey. But, with barrel strength you have more latitude to dial in just the right amount for your nose and palate. Of course, the ratio will vary from one bottling to another.
• Cocktails, by definition, dilute the primary spirit. Barrel strength liquors retain more of their original character in a cocktail (if the recipe isn’t modified). And, as with the water, you can tweak your favorite cocktails’ ratios to create the balance you like.

What is Bulleit Barrel Strength Like?

As you would expect, Bulleit Barrel Strength is richer than the regular Bulleit Bourbon. The color is medium amber and the caramel and maple aromas deeper in nature. Other aromas and flavors include light rye, butter, vanilla, spice, cream, corn and peppery spice.

With the addition of a little Old Limestone branch water, the palate gains even more weight. The rye gets spicier, the caramel smoother and flavors of wood and charcoal emerge.

Cocktails with Bulleit Barrel Strength

To show how well Bulleit Barrel Strength works in cocktails, the excellent bartenders at Tradition offer four examples at the launch event. Each was very well balanced, showing plenty of bourbon character but allowing the character of every other ingredient to show through.

The Shelbyville was light, relatively dry and refreshingly lemon-forward. In contrast, Tom’s Delight was thick and fruity, led by sweet peach. It’ll sneak up on people since the sweetness disquises the alcohol. Marie Laveau was savory with all of the secondary components—including clove at the fore—playing off of the bourbon’s spicy complexity. Bulleit Barrel Strength’s full character was most evident in the Tradition, which used just a tiny bit of two components for complexity rather than transformation.

Left to right are Marie Laveau, Tom’s Delight, Shelbyville and Tradition

Shelbyville

.75 oz. Bulleit Barrel Strength

.5 oz. lemon juice

.25 oz. amaretto

2 dashes grenadine

1 dash aromatic bitters

Shake ingredients and double strain into a couple glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Tom’s Delight

1 oz. Bulleit Bourbon

.25 oz. peach liqueur

.25 oz. lemon juice

1 bar spoon vanilla syrup

3 dashes aromatic bitters

Shake ingredients and double strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Marie Laveau

.75 oz. Bulleit Rye

.25 oz. amaro

.25 oz. clove cognac

1 bar spoon black tea honey

1 dash white pepper tincture

1 dash aromatic bitters

Stir ingredients and pour over ice. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.  

Tradition

1 oz. Bulleit Barrel Strength

1 dash aromatic bitters

1 dash dry curaçao

1 bar spoon gomme syrup

Stir ingredients and pour over ice. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Copyright Fred Swan 2017. The cocktail and header photo are courtesy of Bulleit. All rights reserved.