Popular Kentucky Distilleries: Bulleit

Origin	Shelbyville, Kentucky, United States
Manufacturer	Diageo
Established	Founded in 1987
Ownership	Diageo

Significant milestones include Diageo’s acquisition of the brand and the opening of a state-of-the-art distillery in Shelbyville in 2017. Interviews with key figures like Tom Bulleit and Master Distiller Brent Goodin highlight the dedication to craftsmanship and quality. The distillery’s practices include traditional column still distillation and aging in charred American white oak barrels, offering visitors guided tours to experience the bourbon-making process firsthand at their Shelbyville facility.

Popular Products

Bulleit Bourbon

Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength

Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year

Bulleit Rye

Timeline

• Augustus Bulleit, a tavern keeper in 1830s Louisville, Kentucky, began experimenting with distilling a unique bourbon with a high-rye recipe.
• Augustus Bulleit continued producing his bourbon until his mysterious disappearance in the mid-1800s.
• In 1987, Tom Bulleit, the great-great-grandson of Augustus Bulleit, revived the family bourbon recipe and started the Bulleit Distilling Company.
• Bulleit Bourbon was first introduced to the US market in 1999 and to international markets in 2000.
• In 2017, Diageo opened a new $115 million Bulleit distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky.
• In 2019, Bulleit opened a visitor center at its Shelbyville distillery.

Famous Product Releases

• Bulleit Bourbon: The flagship product, characterized by a high-rye content and lengthy aging.
• Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Strength: A blend of barrels aged 5 to 8 years, bottled straight from the barrel.
• Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year: The only age-dated Bulleit whiskey, bottled at 91.2 proof.
• Bulleit Rye: A straight rye whiskey made from 95% rye and 5% malted barley.

Important People in the Distillery History

• Augustus Bulleit: The original creator of the high-rye bourbon recipe in the 1830s.
• Tom Bulleit: The great-great-grandson of Augustus Bulleit who revived the family bourbon recipe and founded the Bulleit Distilling Company in 1987.

Significant Historical Events for the Distillery

• The mysterious disappearance of Augustus Bulleit in the mid-1800s, which nearly caused the family’s bourbon recipe to be lost forever.
• The acquisition of the Bulleit brand by Seagram in 1997, which led to wider distribution and introduction to international markets.
• Diageo’s acquisition of the Bulleit brand and the opening of the new $115 million Bulleit distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky in 2017.

Interviews with People at the Distillery

• Tom Bulleit has shared insights into his family’s history and the revival of the Bulleit bourbon recipe.
• Brent Goodin, the Master Distiller at the Bulleit Shelbyville Distillery, has discussed the distillery’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship.

Products and Practices

• Bulleit Bourbon is known for its high-rye content, which gives it a distinctive spicy and robust flavor profile.
• The distillery employs traditional column still distillation and ages the whiskey in charred American white oak barrels.
• Bulleit offers guided tours and a visitor experience at its Shelbyville distillery, allowing visitors to learn about the bourbon-making process.

Source:

[1] https://www.bulleit.com/en-gb/the-story/
[2] https://www.diageobaracademy.com/en-zz/home/our-brands/bulleit
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulleit_Bourbon
[4] https://www.horseandbarrelexperiences.com/bourbon101/bourbon-history-bulleit-bourbon
[5] http://bourbonr.com/blog/untold-history-of-the-bulleit-brand/