whiskey review: bulleit rye: antimony

So there was this high-rye bourbon I picked up one day at Downtown Liquors, after convincing the clerk that I didn't really want smooth uber alles. That was Bulleit, and it pretty much instantly became my favorite bourbon. (Unseating nothing, as I hadn't really found one in that price range I liked more than any other, nor any more expensive ones.) A little rough, in an intentional way, spicy, whatever.

When I saw they had a rye out, I bought it. Apparently they went to the other end of the spectrum on this one. Smelling it, if I didn't know from the label that it's 95% rye and 5% barley mash, I'd say it was a bourbon in there. Sugar and caramel and more sugar. Pretty color -- a nice ruddy amber. As for the flavor -- sure, it's got some spice -- if it didn't, I'd wonder how, but it doesn't stick around. A hit of cinnamon-and-rye and a little flash of heat from the alcohol and then it's gone, leaving that sugar and caramel behind.

A few drops of water brought some smoke out of hiding, but nothing else.

Meh. I'm sure it'll mix nicely, if I just go easy on the sweet things, but I'm unimpressed.

ETA: Locking comments as this post has become spammerbait; if you want to chat whiskey, I'm sure I'll post again about it sooner or later.

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whiskey review: bulleit rye