Bulleit Bourbon traces its roots back to the 1830s, when founder Augustus Bulleit first produced the whiskey in Kentucky. After his untimely disappearance, production ceased, and the market was Bulleit-less until 1987, when great-great-grandson Tom Bulleit stepped in to revive the family legacy. For many years it was only distilled in tiny batches, mostly for family and friends, until it was officially relaunched in 1999. It remained a relatively difficult-to-find whiskey until joining the Diageo portfolio. Bulleit is now distributed in all 50 states and is a fixture in many bars. The company even launched Bulleit Rye in early 2011.

Bulleit Bourbon is distilled and aged for at least six years, and it’s famous for its high rye content. While most bourbons contain just 10 to 12 percent rye grains, Bulleit Bourbon is comprised of 28 percent rye, which accounts for its bold and spicy character. Before bottling, the final 90 proof product is formulated by mingling two or three distillates to ensure consistency in taste and aroma.

On the nose, Bulleit Bourbon is full of oaky char, vanilla and rye. Take a sip to find flavors of caramel, vanilla, honey and smoke. There’s a definite spicy bite, but coming from the rye grains, it’s complex and flavorful, rather than hot and alcoholic. It finishes smooth and mellow, with traces of honey and baking spices.

Bulleit Bourbon is a heavier, more complex bourbon than many of its similarly-priced competitors. It doesn’t have the sweet, easy-going nature of, say, Maker’s Mark, but that’s why we like it so much. It’s a bold, spicy bourbon that walks the line between wild and elegant. It’s a solid choice for sipping neat – though an ice cube doesn’t hurt – and its upfront character stands up in cocktails (even traditional rye drinks), where it won’t be overwhelmed by additions like sweet vermouth or ginger beer.

Stats:
- 45% Alcohol by Volume
- $25

Like that? Drink this:
- Jefferson’s Bourbon Review
- Russell’s Reserve Bourbon Review
- Eagle Rare Single Barrel Bourbon

Dive into Eagle Rare Single Barrel for aromas of toasted bread, vanilla, charcoal and almonds. Take a sip to find a very rich, oily mouthfeel and lots of oak that surfaces with sweet caramel and dry resin. Dried fruits, leather and cocoa hit mid palate, and then the finish: it’s very peppery with lots of baking spices, but a honeyed background keeps things in check. The finish lasts seemingly forever.

That’s one serious whiskey. It hits all the typical bourbon notes, but adds another layer of depth. That complex, assertive and intense nature takes it beyond your usual suspects. And that alluring play between spicy and sweet keeps us coming back for more.

Plus, the price is just right.

Stats:
- 45% Alcohol by Volume
- $25-30

Like that? Drink this:
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Bourbon
- Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon
- Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon

The new whiskey gets its name from its double aging process. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is first aged in toasted, charred barrels created at Woodford’s cooperage. This initial maturation provides much of the color and flavor, but the second step is what makes the spirit unique. It’s moved to another custom barrel – one that’s been toasted twice as long as the initial barrel, and then very lightly charred. The heavy toast qualities impart lots of soft, sweet oak characteristics to the whiskey.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is sweet and spicy on the nose, with lots of vanilla, honey, chocolate and cinnamon. The entry brings more vanilla, plus caramel, baked apples and baking spices. Mid-palate it becomes quite creamy and hints at marzipan before finishing with lingering notes of oak and honey. Though the oak is very present throughout, the whiskey remains well-balanced and smooth from start to finish, never killing the drinker’s palate with too much oak.

Look for Woodford Reserve Double Oaked on store shelves beginning in March. It clocks in at 90.4 proof (45.2% alcohol by volume), and is expected to retail for $50 per bottle.

Like that? Drink this:
- Woodford Reserve Maple Wood Finish Bourbon
- Maker’s 46 Bourbon Review
- Jefferson’s Bourbon Review

For more about whiskey, check out our whiskey guide.

Heaven Hill hopes the dueling bourbons will create a lot of buzz going into the 2012 Presidential elections. Chances are good, as political doublespeak and lofty campaign promises often drive people to drink. Whether Red State and Blue State bourbons will fuel the fire or create a more mellow atmosphere for conversation is unclear. But we’ve yet to find a political gathering that’s not improved by a bottle of whiskey.

From Heaven Hill –

“During this topsy-turvy election year, we wanted to launch a fun and unique Bourbon brand that will be the life of both parties, as the race begins for the next President of the United States. What better way to, not only show your patriotic spirit, but kick back, relax and watch the action as the success of each brand becomes an entertaining results indicator of Election 2012,” said Kate Latts, Director of Marketing at Heaven Hill Distilleries.

Red State and Blue State bourbons will be available nationally beginning in January 2012. Hopefully their presence in the market will lead to a decrease in the number of politically-charged yard signs and bumper stickers.

It’s yet to be determined if Heaven Hill will release a bottle geared toward Independents.

redbluebourbon.com

The result? A spirit-forward cocktail tempered by the sweetness of the maraschino liqueur and further balanced by the addition of bitters.

The Fancy Free is very simple to make at home, and while it’s somewhat obscure, the easy-to-make recipe makes it an accessible call at cocktail bars.

The Fancy Free Cocktail

2 oz bourbon
1/2 oz maraschino liqueur
1 dash orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters

Stir all ingredients with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass.

Quick tip – A straightforward bourbon like Maker’s Mark works well in this one. A spicier bourbon, or even rye, makes an interesting drink, but one that tastes a bit out of whack.

Like that? Drink this:
- Boulevardier Cocktail
- Old Pal Cocktail
- The Seelbach Cocktail

Angel’s Envy Bourbon is aged for nearly five years at the highest levels of the rickhouse and then transferred into port barrels for another six months. The whiskey has a brilliant amber to copper hue and presents aromas of vanilla, toasted nuts and maple syrup. Take a sip to find standard bourbon flavors of vanilla and caramel complemented by port influences, like raisins and dark fruit. It’s incredibly smooth on the palate, with no burn. The port finish rounds out the astringency, leaving you with a bourbon that’s easy to hold on the palate. It finishes clean and dry with lingering notes of vanilla and fruit.

Well done, Lincoln.

Down the road, the base expression will be supplemented with other, limited edition expressions that may vary on everything from mashbills to finishing barrels. Talking with Lincoln gives the impression that – after four decades of work under industry giant Brown-Forman – he’s having a lot of fun with Angel’s Envy. Working with his son and grandson, they plan to put out small batches of the best whiskey they can possibly make. And when they do, we’ll be here to drink it.

Stats:
- 43.3% Alcohol by Volume
- $45

Jefferson’s Bourbon is composed of corn, rye and malted barley. It doesn’t carry an age statement.

On the nose, Jefferson’s has aromas of vanilla, toffee, spice and oak. It hints at toasted grains in the background as well as some citrus fruits. Take a sip to taste more of the same – toffee, vanilla and spice – plus some honey, peaches and berries. It finishes with more vanilla and toasty oak notes and leaves the palate warm and very dry.

At just 82.3 proof, it’s smooth and approachable. The oak notes are very present but not overly done, and the whiskey is a mostly successful marriage of sweet, spice and fruit.

Stats:
- 41.15% Alcohol by Volume
- $30

Like that? Drink this:
- Russell’s Reserve Bourbon Review
- Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Bourbon Review
- Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Perhaps my favorite of the bunch is a bourbon buck. And while bourbon, ginger beer and citrus make a fine drink indeed, the buck template is a great basis for modifications. For example, San Francisco bartender Erick Castro’s well-publicized Kentucky Buck adds muddled strawberry and bitters to bourbon, lemon juice and ginger beer for good effect.

Muddled peach is another good option, if you’re into peaches. The Taylor’s Buck (pictured), from Dallas cocktail spot, Bolsa, dresses up the bourbon buck with apple and Peychaud’s Bitters. Also good.

Whichever route you go – whether classic, fruited or otherwise modified – the bourbon buck is an easy drink to make at home. Here’s a quick recipe to get you started:

Bourbon Buck

2 ounces bourbon
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
2 strawberries or peach slices
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ginger beer

Muddle fruit with lemon juice and simple syrup. Add bourbon and bitters, then shake with ice. Strain over ice into a collins glass and top with ginger beer. Garnish with the fruit of your choice.

As noted above, ginger ale can be used in a buck, but ginger beer is preferable, as its spicy bite stands up better in the cocktail.

Like that? Drink this:
- Dark and Stormy (essentially a rum buck)
- El Diablo Cocktail Recipe

On the nose, Wild Turkey Rare Breed has some alcoholic top notes, so give it a few minutes to open up before diving in. The alcohol eventually gives way to aromas of oranges, tobacco, oak and spice. Take a sip to find sweeter flavors and a smoother spirit than the nose indicates. It shows lots of vanilla, brown sugar, and honey, plus a rye bite that keeps things in check. The bourbon finishes dry with some mild hints of licorice, nuts and cocoa toward the end.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is a big whiskey with lots of flavor and spice. A single ice cube tempers the heat without muddling the flavors, but bourbon enthusiasts will likely enjoy the spirit neat. Throw in too much ice and the bourbon loses the rye bite, which is a great counterpart to the sweet honey and vanilla.

Fans of Wild Turkey 101 who appreciate the brand’s flavor profile but want a more complex bourbon – and don’t mind the extra $15 – should give Rare Breed a try.

Stats:
- 54.1% Alcohol by Volume
- $40

Like that? Drink this:
- Wild Turkey 81 Bourbon Review
- Russell’s Reserve Bourbon Review
- Booker’s Bourbon Review

It’s called a “young” bourbon because, well, it’s young, spending just three to six months in oak. It’s aged in small five and 10 gallon barrels, which accelerates the spirit’s maturation process.

Arkansas Young Bourbon Whiskey was handmade in very small batches, and only 114 cases were bottled on this first release. Some will go to Illinois and Tennessee as well as liquor stores and restaurants throughout Arkansas.

It’s bottled at 92 proof and carries a hefty suggested retail price of $24.99 for a 375ml bottle.

In addition to the bourbon, Rock Town Distillery also produces a vodka, a gin and an unaged whiskey called Arkansas Lightning.