Bulleit Rye 12 Year Old Debuts For Around $50 A Bottle

The ever popular Bulleit American whiskey brand owned by spirits giant Diageo has, since 2011, been a leader in the rye whiskey category with its Bulleit Rye bottling, noted for being an expression with one of the highest rye percentages on the market. Now, in an expansion of this particular whiskey style, Bulleit has introduced a 12 year old.

The new Bulleit Rye 12 Year Old Straight American Whiskey, according to those behind it, is the fifth addition to the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey family, as well as the first extension of Bulleit Rye. It has the same same mash bill as its predecessor – 95% rye and 5% malted barley – but this offering sees the added impact that a minimum of 12 years of aging in new charred oak barrels has on its flavor profile.

“When we introduced Bulleit Rye,” said Ed Bello, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey US & Global Brand Director, in a prepared statement, “it changed the game for the category, and positioned us as a brand willing to take chances and try new things. We’re constantly experimenting and striving to satisfy consumers’ growing appetite for bold, new American whiskeys. Rye remains the fastest growing North American Whiskey segment and Bulleit Rye has been the number one super premium Rye brand for the last six years.

“With higher-end whiskeys driving much of that sales growth and a limited number of aged statement ryes on the market, Bulleit Rye 12-Year-Old is a natural way to expand our portfolio and provide a new ultra-premium offering that’s absolutely delicious.”

“Whiskey is heavily influenced by barrel aging,” added said Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Blender Andrew Mackay, “and as a blender, one of our most important responsibilities is to taste how the wood impacts the flavor of the liquid and brings out different notes. The barrels we mingled to produce Bulleit Rye 12-Year-Old were hand-selected for aging based on early identification of their superior quality. Rye’s signature spiciness is certainly still prominent, and this extra aging complements that without being overwhelming as new levels of softness, clove character and vanilla and oak notes are evident. It’s a beautiful whiskey to sip slowly and responsibly.”

Bulleit Rye 12 Year Old is a limited release that’s bottled at 92 proof (46% ABV) and will price around $50 per 750 ml bottle. It is being made available in Colo., Ill., N.Y., Ohio, Ore., Calif., Ky., Texas, Ga., N.J., Ariz., Mass., Md. and Washington D.C., and presents in “the iconic Bulleit frontier-inspired bottle, with a beige label that prominently features the 12-year-old age statement in green.” Limited official tasting notes suggest “a clean, crisp palate with flavors of dried pear, light toffee and oak with a hint of graham cracker spice. The finish is enjoyable with light wood and spice notes.”