Bulleit Debuts a Mesquite-Smoked Malt Bourbon With Zero Rye

The release uses a mashbill centered on mesquite-smoked malted barley and was aged for more than six years before bottling.

Credit: Courtesy of The Bulleit Distilling Co.

Key Points

• Bulleit’s new Mesquite Smoked Malt Kentucky Straight Bourbon replaces the brand’s signature rye with mesquite-smoked malted barley, marking its first bourbon without rye.
• The six-year-old whiskey is distilled from a mashbill of 65% corn, 30% mesquite-smoked malted barley, and 5% malted barley.
• Aged and bottled in Kentucky at 46.5% ABV, this $50 release represents Bulleit’s first experimental new-make projec.

For decades, Bulleit has built its flavor profile — and reputation — around rye. Its most famous expressions include bourbons with a high rye content, as well as popular 95% rye whiskeys. But the Diageo-owned brand’s new bourbon takes a different direction, eschewing rye entirely in favor of a more novel grain: mesquite-smoked malt.

The result is Bulleit’s Mesquite Smoked Malt Kentucky Straight Bourbon, a six-year-old whiskey distilled from a mash of 65% corn, 30% mesquite-smoked malted barley, and 5% malted barley. The new release marks the first time a Bulleit bourbon has removed rye from the recipe, making it the rare Bulleit whiskey without any rye at all. (It wouldn’t be the first, though, as Bulleit’s American Single Malt is made with 100% malted barley.)

During the malting process, barley was smoked over mesquite wood, imparting sweet-and-smoky characteristics. “It’s important to note that while this release is a first-of-its-kind spirit for the brand, it is not a flavored whiskey,” says Phil Gelineau, Diageo’s liquid manager for innovation, research, and development.

“We knew early on that we had to fully commit to the process behind the mashbill or not do it at all,” Gelineau told Food & Wine. “If mesquite was going to be part of the story, it had to live in the grain itself, not be infused or layered on later. That meant building the flavor from the bottom up, running extensive trials with different grain ratios, and imagining what the new-make spirit would become after years in barrel.”

Bulleit’s newest Kentucky straight bourbon drops rye entirely, marking a notable shift for the brand. In its place, mesquite-smoked malted barley drives the flavor profile with a subtle, savory smoke. The 93-proof release is priced at $50 and begins rolling out nationwide this month.
Credit: Courtesy of The Bulleit Distilling Co.

According to Gelineau, the decision to omit rye from the recipe stemmed from a desire to balance sweetness with mesquite smoke, as the latter can subside during barrel maturation. “One of our biggest challenges was anticipating how that intensity would evolve over time, how the smoke would soften, and how it would harmonize with the natural sweetness drawn from the oak,” says Gelineau. “In pursuit of that, we also chose not to include rye, which was a big call for us because it is so tied to Bulleit’s identity, but that decision allowed the mesquite to integrate more seamlessly into the structure of the bourbon.”

Related: The 7 Best High-Rye Bourbons, According to Bar Pros

The whiskey was distilled in November 2018 and aged for more than six years at Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville, Kentucky. It was then bottled at 46.5% ABV. Notably, the bottle labels the whiskey as “Aged by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey,” without specifying that Bulleit distilled it. That means, theoretically, it could have been produced at another Kentucky distillery and then matured in Bulleit’s own warehouses. Although Bulleit’s distillery began operations in 2017, the brand has historically sourced and contracted liquid from a variety of producers in Kentucky and Indiana, including rye from MGP. 

Fast Facts: Bulleit Mesquite Smoked Malt Kentucky Straight Bourbon

ABV: 46.5%
Mashbill and maturation: Bulleit’s Mesquite-Smoked Malt Kentucky Straight Bourbon was distilled from a mashbill of 65% corn, 30% mesquite-smoked malted barley, and 5% malted barley. It was aged for over six years and bottled at 93 proof. The whiskey’s unique flavor comes from malted barley that is smoked before mashing and distillation. It is not a flavored whiskey.
Price: $50

Brand tasting notes for Bulleit Bourbon Mesquite Smoked Malt highlight caramelized sugar and mesquite smoke on the nose. The palate is rich with sweet vanilla and oak, “balanced by subtle smokiness that nods to classic BBQ pit flavors.” 

Related: The 5 Best Rye Whiskeys Under $30, According to Bartenders

Mesquite-smoked American whiskeys are a small but growing category, popularized by producers such as Arizona’s Whiskey Del Bac, known for its American single malt. Bulleit calls Mesquite Smoked Malt Bourbon its first experimental new-make project, so it’s likely not the only new recipe in the brand’s pipeline. The new expression will be distributed nationwide starting this month, with a suggested retail price of $50.

* This article was originally published here