Bulleit '87 Blended American Whiskey — Finished with Toasted Staves 750ml

Bulleit hasn't added a genuinely new permanent whiskey to its core lineup since 2011, when Bulleit 95 Rye first joined the brand. That fifteen-year wait ends this September with Bulleit '87 — the brand's first-ever blend of bourbon and rye, and its first new core expression in over a decade and a half. The name isn't an age statement; it's a direct tribute to 1987, the year Bulleit Frontier Whiskey was founded and, as the brand puts it, "first set out to do things differently."

The whiskey brings together two genuinely distinct components, each developed specifically for its role in the final blend. The bourbon is distilled, barreled, and aged entirely at Bulleit's own distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky, where the brand has operated since 2017. The rye comes from a longtime source: MGP (now also known as Ross & Squibb Distillery) in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, the same operation that has supplied Bulleit's flagship 95 Rye since its 2011 debut. Both whiskeys age separately for a minimum of four years before undergoing something genuinely new for Bulleit — the brand has never before finished its whiskeys with staves. Each spirit is finished individually, still in its original barrel, with toasted American oak and French oak staves added directly for four to six weeks, before the two are finally blended and bottled together in Shelbyville at 90 proof.

Whiskey R&D Manager Phil Gelineau explained the thinking behind the technique directly: "by finishing the bourbon and rye separately in toasted American and French oak, we were able to create a distinctive sipping profile that brings forward notes like caramel, spice and oak before blending them together." He put the construction in more playful terms elsewhere: "if I were to visualize it, it's like a cake. The bourbon is your delicious sponge, the rye is like chocolate shavings on top, and the staves are the buttercream that brings it all together." Senior Brand Manager Jenika Newsum added: "'87 brings together everything that makes Bulleit great. Bourbon and rye whiskey are at the heart of our brand since its founding and guide our philosophy to do things differently." Whisky Advocate, covering the launch, described the resulting whiskey's construction directly through Gelineau's own cake metaphor, noting the stave-finishing approach is "an anomaly for Bulleit." Presented in a distinctive blue label — a first for the brand — cut on Bulleit's familiar slant, '87 offers aromas of caramel, brown sugar, baking spices, and oak, closing on a sweet and spicy finish. Designed specifically to be sipped neat, this is Bulleit's most ambitious core-range release in fifteen years.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Bulleit '87 is produced by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, owned by Diageo, and named for 1987, the year the brand was founded. It represents Bulleit's first new permanent core expression since Bulleit 95 Rye debuted in 2011, and the brand's first-ever blend of bourbon and rye.

The bourbon component is distilled, barreled, and aged at Bulleit's own distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky, operating since 2017. The rye component is distilled and aged by MGP (Ross & Squibb Distillery) in Lawrenceburg, Indiana — the same longtime source behind Bulleit's flagship 95 Rye — before being transported to Shelbyville. Both the bourbon and rye are aged separately for a minimum of four years. Following that initial maturation, each whiskey is finished individually, in its original barrel, with toasted American oak and French oak staves added directly for four to six weeks — a genuinely new finishing technique for the brand, which has never previously finished its whiskeys with staves. Once finishing is complete, the two whiskeys are blended together and bottled in Shelbyville at 45% ABV / 90 proof. Bulleit '87 debuted at Tales of the Cocktail and will roll out nationally beginning September 2026, supported by a 15-city sampling tour featuring local food pairings, presented in a distinctive blue label — a first for the Bulleit brand.

Critics Reviews

No numerical critic score is confirmed for this product at this time — a very recent 2026 launch.

Phil Gelineau, Whiskey R&D Manager, Bulleit:
"By finishing the bourbon and rye separately in toasted American and French oak, we were able to create a distinctive sipping profile that brings forward notes like caramel, spice and oak before blending them together. If I were to visualize it, it's like a cake. The bourbon is your delicious sponge, the rye is like chocolate shavings on top, and the staves are the buttercream that brings it all together."

Jenika Newsum, Senior Brand Manager, Bulleit:
"'87 brings together everything that makes Bulleit great. Bourbon and rye whiskey are at the heart of our brand since its founding and guide our philosophy to do things differently."

Whisky Advocate:
"Both whiskeys are aged 4 years and finished separately with toasted American oak and French oak staves for 4 to 6 weeks — an anomaly for Bulleit, which has never before finished its whiskeys with staves."

Bulleit (official press release):
"The resulting whiskey offers caramel, brown sugar, and baking spice aromas, with a sweet and spicy finish, designed primarily for sipping."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Caramel and brown sugar lead, joined by baking spices and oak — a genuinely layered aromatic profile reflecting the separate stave-finishing process applied to both the bourbon and rye components.

Palate
Bold bourbon character meets genuine rye spice, blended after each whiskey was individually finished with toasted American and French oak staves — designed specifically to bring forward caramel, spice, and oak notes.

Finish
Sweet and spicy, closing with the combined character of Kentucky bourbon sweetness and Indiana rye spice — a genuinely balanced, sip-focused finish.

Quick Overview

Serving Note

Designed specifically to be sipped neat, showcasing the distinct flavor characteristics developed through the separate stave-finishing process.