First Impressions
Bulleit 10 — Tom Bulleit left a legal career in 1987 to revive a frontier whiskey recipe from his great-great-grandfather Augustus Bulleit, who made bourbon in the 1830s-1860s before vanishing mysteriously on a delivery trip. One of the highest rye contents among mainstream bourbons at 28%.
The High-Rye Heritage
68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley — the high rye gives Bulleit its distinctive spicy backbone. The 10 Year Old launched around 2013, now under Diageo ownership. Ten years in charred American oak adds depth and softens the rye spice without losing it.
Tasting
Rich oak and dark fruit nose with rum cake and grilled peach. Caramel and vanilla palate with dried fruit and leather. The finish delivers fruit leather and dry baking spices. Approachable and easy-sipping, though lacking the complexity that enthusiasts crave.
The Verdict
Bulleit 10 earns a 7 — a solid, approachable aged bourbon with genuine frontier heritage. At £38, it's fair value. Casual drinkers will enjoy the smoothness; enthusiasts may want more punch. But the Augustus Bulleit story and the high-rye recipe give it character that blander bourbons lack.
