A little background

Blanton’s bourbon is perhaps one of the most iconic brands in the bourbon world. Hailing from the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfurt, Kentucky, Blanton’s is the namesake of Colonel Albert B. Blanton, one of the fathers of the modern bourbon industry.

Albert Bacon Blanton was born into a bourbon family and started working at a distillery adjacent to his family home at a young age. He would work to become a pioneer in the bourbon industry and eventually became the President of the distillery, which was then known as the Old Fire Copper Distillery (O.F.C). Colonel Blanton kept the distillery running through prohibition by producing medicinal whiskey, and he remained at the distillery through its different variations for 31 years until he retired in 1952. Following Colonel Blanton’s death in 1959, the Master Distiller at the O.F.C. Distillery, which was then known as the George T. Stagg Distillery (now known as Buffalo Trace), Elmer T. Lee, decided to honor Colonel Blanton’s legacy by producing the first commercially sold single barrel bourbon. Elmer personally selected barrels of whiskey from Warehouse H, the metal-clad building where Colonel Blanton once aged his finest private stock bourbon, and released the first Blanton’s single barrel bourbon in 1984.

Since Blanton’s is a single barrel bourbon, there will always be some variation between bottles from different barrels. However, in my humble opinion, Blanton’s sets the standard in terms of consistency among selected barrels. Blanton’s is made from Buffalo Trace’s high-rye mash bill (mash bill #2) and is still aged in Warehouse H to this day. This bourbon is always bottled at 93 proof, although there are different variations of Blanton’s now available (mainly in overseas markets) that do come in at higher and lower proofs.There is no age statement on this bottle but the consensus is that this bourbon is aged anywhere from 6-8 years.

Blanton’s originally retailed for $50 but prices for this bottle have risen considerably in the past few years. Recently, I had the unfortunate opportunity to stumble upon some standard release Blanton’s for the low price of $200!

This is a review of barrel no. 1027 from rick No. 26, which was dumped on August 6, 2018.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Dark Orange Amber

Nose

The nose is soft and subtle and worthy of your patience. It is full of layers of vanilla, sweet caramel, baking spice, some oak char, and a very soft citrus note that blends seamlessly with all of the other aromas. On this bottle, I also found some extra smokiness that really stands out and works well with the rich, sweet notes.

Palate

Blanton’s is a thick, unctuous bourbon that immediately coats your entire mouth on the first sip. The sweeter notes from the nose transition to the palate, revealing more sweet caramel and chocolate, along with the perfect amount of rye spice, some tobacco leaf, and a more defined citrus note, reminiscent of fresh orange peel.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with just the right amount of alcohol burn. There is plenty of brown sugar, a bouquet of baking spice (vanilla, cinnamon, and clove), some peppery rye spice, and very soft oak undertones that linger for some time.

In conclusion

Blanton’s is one of the few bourbons that I could drink everyday because it delivers on so many levels. Blanton’s tends to be more subtle in terms of flavor profile, but if you are willing to take time to work through the pour I think there is plenty of flavor and nuance that will both challenge and impress you. The nose is soft and subtle, but there is plenty of complexity. This bourbon also creates a warm, velvety mouthfeel that really draws you in for the next sip. Finally, there are plenty of sweet notes in this pour but it is not too sweet, and these blend wonderfully with the higher-rye content and the pronounced citrus note that lingers throughout the sip.