BULLEIT BOURBON

There`s something very reachable about this bourbon, it`s  nice and “homely”, and also very reasonable priced and no doubt  of good quality. Its one of those spirits that should always be on the shelf.

Bulleit Bourbon is inspired by a recipe in the 1800`s created by Augustus Bulleit. The Bulleit Distilling Co was founded by Tom Bulleit 22 years ago – created by the idea to make his family`s recipe with best ingredients available.

Bourbon – the official spirit of the US – can legally be made anywhere in the US but must be at least 51% corn and the rest of it rye, wheat, or barley, and then it must be aged in new charred oak barrels. A rye whiskey must contain at least 51% rye. As Bulleit contains 30% rye it has the highest rye content of any bourbons.

Bulleit is a small batch premium quality 90 proof bourbon which uses Kentucky-limestone filtered water together with corn, barley malt, rye and a proprietary yeast strain. It has a rich oaky aroma with hints of vanilla from the new white oak barrels, spice and pepper, with a lingering smoky finish. The color is quite on the orangey side, like amber.

It comes in a very simple attractive bottle, robust and rounded. I also very much like the glasses with their oval form and same robust roundness as the bottle has. The flavor is warm, full bodied, round and smooth.  As it also is very decently priced its a very good all-round bourbon, made from quality ingredients with each step in production ensuring a premium bourbon which is very nice to both sip neat and mix.

I made two cocktails this time and one is fruity, the other one more spicy. The first drink – the fruity one pairs Bulleit bourbon with fresh blood orange juice and Campari.

BOURBON & BLOOD

1 oz Bourbon (Bulleit)
1/4 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz Campari
Sprinkle of fresh lime juice
1.5 oz fresh blood orange juice
Top with Fevertree bitter lemon
Add a splash of hibiscus grenadine to add a tropical floral note and deepen the color at the base.
Garnish with a half blood orange slice.

Shake over ice and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a half blood orange slice. Its not very often my drinks exceeds my expectations but this one turned out to be ridiculously fresh and tasty, try it! The only thing i maybe should have done is double strain it, but on the other hand i`m not bothered by some blood orange and ice chips in this drink.

BULLEIT WRAP

2,5 oz Bulleit Bourbon
1 very thin slice of lemongrass
small sprig of fresh coriander
1 very thin slice of fresh ginger
¼ oz simple syrup
Top with Club Soda
Long wide blood orange twist/spiral + 1 lemongrass stick for garnish

(I tried it topped with Ting as well and omittted the simple syrup as Ting made a sweeter drink)

Muddle ginger, lemongrass and carefully fresh coriander with the simple syrup. Add bourbon and shake over ice, strain, pour into glass. Garnish with a blood orange twist wrapped around a lemongrass stick in the glass to release some of the flavors from the peel into the drink.

Top with crushed ice.

More spicy than fruity. I find that bourbon goes well with both fruits and spices but also grenadine. One of my favorite bourbon drinks containing grenadine is the Port Light invented by Trader Vic, that is a drink i keep coming back to over and over again, the combination of grenadine and passionfruit with bourbon is just so damn tasty.