Bulleit '87 Toasted Staves American Whiskey

Bulleit '87 Toasted Staves American Whiskey is a distinctive blended American whiskey that brings together two signatures of the Bulleit portfolio: bourbon and rye whiskey. Created to commemorate 1987, the year the modern Bulleit brand was founded, Bulleit '87 combines the rich sweetness of bourbon with the spice and structure of rye, followed by a toasted-stave finishing process designed to add additional depth and complexity. The “'87” refers to the founding year, not an age statement.

Bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV), this 750ml expression is built primarily as a sipping whiskey. Each component is aged for at least four years before the bourbon and rye are separately finished with toasted American oak and French oak staves for four to six weeks. The two finished whiskeys are then blended and bottled in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

What Does Bulleit '87 Whiskey Taste Like?

Bulleit '87 Whiskey offers a layered flavor profile that balances bourbon sweetness, rye spice, and toasted oak character.

The aroma opens with intense caramel and vanilla bean, accompanied by warm cinnamon and allspice. On the palate, flavors of dark chocolate and toasted marshmallow emerge alongside subtle sweet stewed-fruit notes. The finish brings lingering toasted oak and cocoa, creating a warm, full conclusion.

Brown sugar, caramel, baking spice, vanilla, and toasted wood help give Bulleit '87 a profile that is both familiar to Bulleit drinkers and distinct from the brand's traditional Bourbon and 95 Rye expressions.

Bourbon & Rye Finished With Toasted Staves

What makes Bulleit '87 Toasted Staves American Whiskey especially distinctive is how its bourbon and rye components are treated before blending.

The bourbon is distilled, barreled, and aged in Shelbyville, Kentucky, while the rye is distilled and aged in Indianabefore being transported to Shelbyville. Both whiskeys mature for a minimum of four years.

Rather than immediately blending the two mature whiskeys, Bulleit finishes them separately in their original barrels using toasted American oak and French oak staves for approximately four to six weeks. Only after this finishing period are the bourbon and rye brought together to create the final Bulleit '87 blend.

This process allows the sweetness and body of bourbon, the spicy character of rye, and the caramelized influence of toasted oak to contribute individually to the finished whiskey.

A New Expression in the Bulleit Whiskey Lineup

Bulleit '87 represents an important addition to the brand's core portfolio. It is Bulleit's first new core expression since Bulleit 95 Rye debuted in 2011 and brings bourbon and rye together in a single Bulleit expression.

The whiskey also stands apart visually with its distinctive blue-label presentation while retaining the recognizable Bulleit bottle shape.

For drinkers familiar with Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit 95 Rye, Bulleit '87 offers an opportunity to experience characteristics of both whiskey styles combined with the additional influence of toasted American and French oak.

How to Enjoy Bulleit '87 Toasted Staves Whiskey

Bulleit describes '87 as a whiskey built to sip, making it particularly well suited for enjoying neat or over ice.

Serving it neat allows the caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, baking spice, rye spice, and toasted oak characteristics to develop in the glass. A pour over a large ice cube can soften the 90-proof whiskey while maintaining its rich toasted character.

Its combination of bourbon sweetness and rye spice also gives Bulleit '87 a flavor profile that whiskey enthusiasts can explore alongside traditional bourbon and rye expressions in a tasting.

Bulleit '87 Blended American Whiskey

With its combination of bourbon, rye whiskey, toasted American oak, and French oak staves, Bulleit '87 offers a different approach to the familiar Bulleit whiskey style. The minimum four-year maturation of both whiskey components, separate stave finishing, and 90-proof bottling create an American whiskey focused on caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, baking spice, dark chocolate, toasted oak, and rye spice.

Whether searched for as Bulleit '87 Toasted Staves American Whiskey, Bulleit 87 Whiskey, Bulleit '87 Blended American Whiskey, Bulleit 87 Toasted Staves, Bulleit '87 Bourbon and Rye Whiskey Blend, or Bulleit '87 Whiskey 750ml, this expression brings together two classic American whiskey styles with a distinctive toasted-stave finish.