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Bulleit Bourbon vs Uncle Nearest 1856
Bulleit Bourbon and Uncle Nearest 1856 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, rye-forward bottling versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bulleit Bourbon | Uncle Nearest 1856 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey |
| Mash Bill 1 | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 ~$34 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Uncle Nearest 1856 does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Uncle Nearest 1856
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bulleit Bourbon Uncle Nearest 1856
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 5/7 sweetness: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10
spice 7/5 spice: Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
oak 5/7 oak: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
- Uncle Nearest 1856: Named for Nathan 'Nearest' Green, the enslaved distiller who taught Jack Daniel, and now backed by the brand's own distillery in Shelbyville. Sweet and maple-leaning with the charcoal-mellowed softness of the style.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Uncle Nearest 1856 if you want a sweet, maple-forward Tennessee whiskey with a story worth knowing behind it with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Uncle Nearest 1856).