03/06/2024
Tonight’s Bourbon Review! Blantons!
First, I want to give a shoutout to Devin Hillman for the whiskey grail glass today! The Whiskey Grail is a white oak drinking vessel, charred on the inside to mimic the environment that your favorite Bourbon is aged in. Each Whiskey Grail is expertly handcrafted! The Whiskey Grail uniquely enhances the Bourbon experience! Hail to the Grail! Thanks Devin!!!!
Now… Blantons!
Blanton’s Bourbon is often considered the original single barrel bourbon sold in the modern market (the past 40 years or so). Instead of mash #1, found in products such as Buffalo Trace and EH Taylor Small Batch, it uses mashbill #2, a slightly higher rye mash (rumored 12-15%) that is also used in Elmer T. Lee. I’m not huge on Rye bourbon but this one isn’t so high that it’s vastly noticeable.
APPEARANCE
A lot of effort was put into the beautiful packaging, with the racehorse on the top, the rustic-looking label, and round, almost spherical, bottle that acts as a beautiful centerpiece to any whiskey shelf. And you probably already know, but because each top (since the late 1990’s) has a letter and different horse and rider on it, you can collect the letters too.
NOSE
At first smell, caramel, wood, sweet corn, and honey, followed by a moderate cherry sweetness, almost like cherry soda. Notes of apricot are mixed-in as well. That nice sweet and fruity base is supported by light to moderate peppermint from the higher rye, and hints of dark to***co and a little more wood. Swirling then smelling again unveils vanilla, orange, and a savory and sweet caramel fudge, yet the alcohol remains virtually unchanged. Swirling also introduces more lightly roasted wood and corn with a touch of extra spice. As the glass empties, I smell growing notes of alcohol, wood, and to***co, turning into musty wood and dried corn when it’s empty.
Palate
This is a well-balanced bourbon with just a little extra sweetness. Blanton’s starts with sweet caramel and vanilla reminiscent of cotton candy, malty grains, and moderate alcohol that remind me that it’s there, but hanging out in the back. It has a thinner mouthfeel than I expected, but still provides an interesting brightness to the overall flavor.
Giving it a swish in my mouth finally reveals the minty and peppery rye spice from the higher rye mash, with peanuts, more caramel, and creamed corn. The swishing also brings the alcohol to life, but still allows the other flavors to shine.
FINISH
A crisp finish rounds out the sip with vanilla, caramel, leather, dry oak, rye spice, and light peppercorn. There’s a pleasing sweet heat that lingers once all the other flavors fade. While it’s not as strong as the parts that preceded it, the finish nevertheless makes for an overall nice capstone for the sip.
Overall
Blanton’s Original Single Barrel is the age defying brand that continues to please consumers year after year with a product that could easily vary widely barrel to barrel, yet rarely does. Its consistency delivers a classic bourbon flavor profile that will please almost anyone. While it may not be the best single barrel available at any given moment, even among its own Blanton’s siblings, it is by far and large, one of the more approachable ones.
Does this trait of consistency help justify why it is suddenly one of the hottest bourbons in America? No, not really, that head scratching thought is a whole different animal to tackle. However what it does do, is afford those who do buy a bottle, the opportunity to buy a single barrel bourbon that will almost certainly be a well above average to very good bourbon the majority of the time. People tend to forget that single barrel bourbons aren’t all going to taste alike. In fact that’s what usually makes single barrel bourbons so unique. The fact that Blanton’s is able to replicate its pour so closely from one barrel to another, year after year, is an impressive feat. It’s a shame that Blanton’s has become so hard to find, because this is one bourbon that deserves to be a staple on all bourbon drinkers shelves, if nothing more, than to always have one consistent easy-sipping bourbon on hand. Prost!!!
