Bulleit releases 12-years-old rye expression

Diageo has announced the release of a limited edition Bulleit Rye — 12 Years Old Straight American Whiskey.

Bulleit Rye 12 Years Old Straight American Whiskey is the fifth addition to the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey portfolio, as well as the first extension of Bulleit Rye, a whiskey with one of the highest rye percentages on the market. 

Using the same mash bill as its predecessor – 95 per cent rye and 5 per cent malted barley – this small-batch rye whiskey was fully aged and matured in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of 12 years. Bulleit Rye 12 Years Old is 92 proof (46% ABV).

Ed Bello, Bulleit Fronteir Whiskey US & Global brand director, says: “When we introduced Bulleit Rye, 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."

Bulleit Frontier whiskey blender, Andrew Mackay, says: “Whiskey is heavily influenced by barrel ageing, 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 Years Old were hand-selected for ageing based on early identification of their superior quality. Rye’s signature spiciness is certainly still prominent, and this extra ageing 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 Years Old is available in Colo., Ill., N.Y., Ohio, Ore., Calif., Ky., Texas, Ga., N.J., Ariz., Mass., Md. and Washington D.C. wherever fine spirits are sold with a suggested retail price of $49.99 for a 75cl bottle. The whiskey is packaged in the iconic Bulleit frontier-inspired bottle, with a beige label that prominently features the 12-years-old age statement in green.

25 March 2019 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editor