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Casual whiskey fans are likely more familiar with the name Bulleit than they are with the term “bottled in bond,” but that might change with the launch of this new whiskey. Bulleit Frontier Whiskey just announced the release of the first bottled-in-bond bourbon in the brand’s history—and it’s also the first whiskey that was actually distilled at the Bulleit distillery instead of being sourced from others.
As a little refresher, the Bottled in Bond Act was passed in 1897 in an attempt to ensure the quality of American whiskey. At the time, blenders and rectifiers would buy whiskey from distilleries and add who knows what into it, including various flavorings and colorings that one would normally not want to consume. This legislation specified a few different things: The whiskey must be bottled at 100 proof; it must be at least four years old; it must be distilled at one distillery during one distilling season; and it must be matured in federally bonded warehouses. Nowadays, there are plenty of other regulations ensuring food safety, but many brands and distilleries still release BIB expressions as either a throwback or an attempt at releasing a vintage whiskey.
Bulleit, which is owned by parent company Diageo, is the latest big brand to release a bottled-in-bond expression, joining others like Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam, Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, and Old Forester. Bulleit was founded in 1987, and it has sourced its whiskey from other distilleries for nearly its entire existence. (Four Roses was one source at one point in time, and still might be.) But the brand has also built two distilleries to make its own whiskey—one opened in Shelbyville, KY, in 2017, and another carbon-neutral distillery went online in Lebanon, KY, in 2021 (this will make other Diageo products as well, but Bulleit will take the lead).
The brand has been marked with some controversy over the years. Founder Tom Bulleit was forced out of the company after his daughter accused him of abuse. Diageo was slapped with a discrimination lawsuit by former blender Eboni Major, which was ultimately dismissed, and Major moved onto her own whiskey projects like Dread River. But Bulleit has continued to churn out some good releases, including 10 and 12-year-old versions of its rye whiskey (which it sources from MGP), as well as the occasional miss like last year’s American single malt.
This new bourbon was distilled in the spring of 2017 at the Bulleit Distilling Company in Shelbyville (the first year it was in operation), which makes this the first Bulleit release to be produced and matured entirely in-house—a significant milestone for the brand. “Introducing our first bottled-in-bond bourbon, made entirely at the Bulleit Distilling Company is a proud achievement for our team,” said Diageo lead whiskey blender Delicia James in a statement. “With our signature high-rye mash bill and seven years of aging under bottled-in-bond standards, this bourbon delivers a richness and complexity we’re excited to share. It’s a whiskey that truly showcases the best of what we do here in Shelbyville—bold, balanced, and crafted with care.”
We did not get to sample the whiskey yet, but the brand says it’s meant to be enjoyed neat or used in cocktails. According to official tasting notes, spice and toasted oak lead on the nose, followed by maple sweetness and nutmeg on the palate, and a lingering butterscotch finish.
Bulleit Bottled-in-Bond (SRP $55) is available starting this month as a limited release, so check your local liquor store to see if they have it in stock. In the meantime, you can find the rest of the lineup available to purchase from websites like ReserveBar now.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker