Bulleit Mesquite Smoked Malt Whiskey Review: Worth $50?

Bulleit Mesquite Smoked Malt Whiskey delivers sweet, savory campfire smoke at 93 proof for around $50. We both enjoyed its distinct flavor and easy drinkability. The question for us was whether that smoke brings enough character to make this limited release worth chasing.

At a glance

• Proof: 93
• Age: Six years, distilled in 2018 and aged in Kentucky
• Mash bill: 65% corn, 30% mesquite-smoked barley, 5% malted barley, with no rye
• Price: About $50 MSRP; $47 plus tax locally
• Release: Limited
• Tom’s rating: Solid blue on our scale
• Steve’s rating: Solid double blue on our scale

The smoke starts with the malt

This is not a finished whiskey. Bulleit smokes the malt before distillation, so the smoke comes from the grain itself. That distinction matters because the mesquite flavor runs through the whiskey instead of coming from a finishing step.

This is Bulleit’s first whiskey without rye, which is a pretty surprising change for the brand. We see it as a hybrid concept: the corn and new-oak structure associated with bourbon, alongside the flavor of smoked malt.

We understand this comes from BFW rather than Bulleit’s own distillate. We wondered whether an NDP, possibly in Bardstown, Kentucky, might be involved.

Nose: campfire smoke, vanilla and caramelized sugar

The smoke shows up immediately, but we didn’t find it overwhelming or overly peaty. There’s a nice balance between smoke, a little oak, and sweetness behind it.

We picked up vanilla and vanilla cream, flavors we often associate with Bulleit, along with a little spice. There’s also something like the caramelized sugar crust on crème brûlée.

As we tasted, the aroma leaned further toward barbecue smoke drifting into something sweet. That combination gave us more of a campfire-and-dessert impression than the heavier peat character we were hoping to avoid.

Palate and finish: caramel corn meets mesquite smoke

This is a very light whiskey on the palate, with an easygoing body. It isn’t especially oily, and the flavor doesn’t run particularly deep. There’s some complexity, but it doesn’t take much work to figure out what’s happening.

The first impression is bourbon-like, with corn sweetness that reminded us of caramel corn. Sometimes corn can dominate a whiskey in a way we don’t enjoy. Here, that caramel note keeps it appealing.

Then the mesquite smoke comes through clearly. It’s slightly savory, with a salty-sweet quality, almost like standing in front of a smoker with a brisket cooking. We get smoke rather than toast, and it never overwhelms the rest of the sip.

It’s what we’d want “liquid smoke” to taste like in a whiskey. The combination also reminded us of a smoked Old Fashioned in a bottle, even though we were drinking it straight.

The finish stays on the lighter side. What lingers is smoke and a little char.

A pour for the campfire, smoker or bottle share

Tom enjoys a good Scotch, but it takes the right mood. Steve usually dislikes smoky whisky, something we also ran into with Paul John. This feels like a possible gateway for someone curious about smoked whiskey who doesn’t enjoy that peaty Scotch profile.

We’d especially enjoy this beside a campfire or while smoking meat. Brisket was the pairing that came to mind first. We’d also be interested in trying it with ribs, pork, or Wagyu brisket, though we haven’t tested those pairings.

Steve also sees a place for it at a bottle share. It’s different enough to give friends something interesting to try, particularly if their bars don’t already have a whiskey built around mesquite smoke.

A good pickup, with a split on the chase

We both think the price makes sense. Steve puts more weight on the unusual flavor and limited release, which may not return. That makes it worth seeking out for him. Tom is more of a maybe: a cookout or brisket-smoking day gives it a clear purpose, but he wanted another layer of flavor or a little more proof. We expect nationwide availability, though we don’t know how long it will stay on shelves.

If you come across it for under $50, we’d pick it up. We don’t see this as a whole new whiskey category, but we like Bulleit pushing the boundaries of what bourbon-style whiskey can taste like. It impressed both of us, even with Tom finding it a little light in the saddle.