Although we’re still awaiting the TTB’s decision to make single malt an officially designated category in American spirits, distilleries all over are starting to come up with their own whiskey made in the style of Scotch. Initially, Stateside single malts were perpetuated by smaller craft distilleries but in the past year or two, we’ve seen names as big as WhistlePig and even Jack Daniel’s have gotten in on the action. And while these releases have alternated between expensive and elusive, a new single malt expression from Bulleit may be the one that finally breaks through to the everyman.
Known for its straight bourbon and rye whiskeys, Kentucky’s own Bulleit is the perfect champion for the cause. While the brand’s bottles have never been expensive, they have always been good and accessible. And they perfectly embody what both bourbons and ryes should taste like. This should undoubtedly carry over to its first foray into the American single malt category, which, like single malt Scotch, utilizes malted barley for its primary mash grain instead of the corn or rye that’s popular in the U.S.
Bulleit Single Malt is a 90-proof expression that’s been distilled from a mashbill consisting entirely of malted barley (for comparison, Bulleit’s Straight Bourbon only contains around 4% malted barley). A non-age-statement whiskey, the single malt has been aged inside charred white oak barrels, just like bourbon. As such, it possesses a familiar foundation for anyone who frequents Scotch whisky yet has a profile that’s distinctly American in flavor. Tasting notes include pear, vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak, while the appearance of the liquid is considerably lighter in color than bourbon or rye. For the first time ever, Bulleit has put the whiskey in a green bottle, obtaining its hue from post-consumer recycled glass.
Part of its permanent collection, Bulleit American Single Malt has a suggested retail price of $60 and can be found online at Total Wine.
