Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon is one of the most sought-after whiskeys out there. The bulbous bottles of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey from the Buffalo Trace Distillery are the stuff of legends, driving up the desirability and price. That last part makes buying Blanton’s a sketchy issue. Yes, it’s pricey, which begs the question, “Is it worth it?”
Well, there isn’t one Blanton’s expression and there isn’t a clear “yes” or “no” to that question either. So I’m going to give you my professional opinion on all four of the mainstream Blanton’s bourbon expressions that you can buy (generally). It’s time to rank some Blanton’s, folks!
Before we dive in, let’s get a little background. Blanton’s is “The Original Single Barrel Bourbon” in that it was the first commercially available bourbon in a single-barrel format. This started back in 1984 when bourbon — and whiskey in general — was on the ropes. Vodka was the drink of the masses and a lot of whiskey distilleries were shuttering worldwide (they literally couldn’t give the stuff away back then).
Back in 1984, Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee took a huge swing and decided to release a “single barrel” product to distinguish his Kentucky whiskey on the market. It was … not that much of a success. Remember, this was back in the day well before single-barrel picks were everywhere. People weren’t really sure what Elmer T. Lee was getting at until the Japanese market woke up to the brilliance of single-barrel bourbon via Blanton’s being shipped over there (almost exclusively). The Japanese appetite for bourbon exploded in the 1980s, largely thanks to Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon which helped keep a large part of the industry afloat (and arguably set the table for bourbon resurging in the late 90s/early 2000s). Now, I’m not saying Blanton’s and Elmer T. Lee saved bourbon in the 1980s, but it was a big reason — amongst many — that bourbon survived a devastating downturn.
Fast-forward to that aforementioned 2000s bourbon boom and Blanton’s starts getting the recognition it deserves in the U.S. market. About a decade later, that recognition kicks into high gear with seemingly less of it on shelves, and, well, prices started to soar.
That gets us to today. Blanton’s is a highly allocated bourbon. That means that a small quantity of the expressions is released to specific retailers, bars, and restaurants seasonally and annually depending on the expression. That small quantity and lack of widespread availability (in the U.S. mostly) means that the price of Blanton’s has become exorbitant for the average consumer. Translation — what should be a $50-$100 bottle of bourbon often costs $150-$400 (or more) depending on the expression. You can read my advice on actually buying the stuff right here.
Since that’s the case, I’m going to give you my thorough tasting notes and professional advice on each. That way you can make a more informed decision if you do want to dip your toe into the world of Blanton’s. Let’s dive in!
4. Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $287
The Whiskey:
This version of Blanton’s is made for the international market and has been on again/off again for a while. It seems to be on again right now and bottles are available at U.S. retailers (mostly only online though). The whiskey in the bottle is indeed single-barrel bourbon from Buffalo Trace. The ripple is that it’s proofed down to 80-proof or 40% ABV.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose feels like Blanton’s-lite with a mild sense of falling leaves, old barrel houses, vanilla-heavy oatmeal raisin cookie jars, and gently cedar kindling.
Palate: That vanilla mounts the palate like a lush creamy eggnog with a hint of allspice next to dates and more raisin with this fleeting sense of white pepper and dried red chili (very light sense).
Finish: That spice fades back toward the vanilla oatmeal raisin cookies and cedar on a frankly very short finish.
Bottom Line:
This is very clearly bottled as a mixing whiskey. It’s bourbon-y and very nice — there are no faults here. But it feels like something you build with, adding flavors for old fashioneds or whiskey sours.
3. Blanton’s The Original Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 46.5%
Average Price: $169
The Whiskey:
Buffalo Trace’s “original” Blanton’s Single Barrel is made up of hand-selected single barrels that meet the sky-high standards of former Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee, who created the expression back in 1984. Those whiskey barrels are kissed with local limestone water and then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of Christmas spices right away, leaning towards honeycomb spiked with vanilla and an old cedar cigar humidor before leathery Buffalo Trace notes (think freshly soaped saddle leather) kicks in with a hint of pipe tobacco.
Palate: The taste holds onto the spice, especially nutmeg (think eggnog), as caramel kettle corn, more fresh honey, fresh red berries with a hint of tartness, and vanilla pods that lead back to the dry spice barks and cedar.
Finish: Those woody barks and cedar have a nice dose of tobacco and leather on the end that feels like a vanilla oil-heavy eggnog with tons of allspice and nutmeg just kissed with fall leaves on a rainy day.
Bottom Line:
This is classic bourbon. It kind of has everything you want. It’s deep yet never overpowering or “hot”. It’s balanced and classic. But classic doesn’t mean “amazing” or “quintessential” — it just means it’s really good. So, I’d still rank this among the cocktail whiskeys. Make a Manhattan with it or use it for old fashioneds, Sazeracs, or boulevardiers. Or mix it into your eggnog during the holidays.
2. Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: Varies
Average Price: $240
The Whiskey:
This expression is the purest form of Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon. The whiskey in these bottles is from the same Blanton’s barrels, but they’re perfect just the way they are. This whiskey goes into the bottle straight from the barrel with no proofing water whatsoever.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of very bespoke dark chocolate-covered salted hard caramel toffees encrusted with almonds and pecans — the kind you get from a chocolate shop that imports their goodies from somewhere like Belgium — next to full fall leaves falling on wet grass outside musty old warehouses with a hint of well-worn boot leather lurking beneath it all.
Palate: The nutty toffee carries through into the taste as oily vanilla pods mingle with cedar boxes of dried tobacco leaves and a touch of floral honey jars with old wooden spoons and more of that old boot leather before sharp winter spices and dried red chili pop on the mid-palate.
Finish: The end is very long and lingers in your senses with a hot buzzing thanks to the barky spices and dry chili that subtly fades through all that sweetness before ending up in an old cedar box full of choco-chili tobacco layered with old dark fruit leather sheets.
Bottom Line:
This is hot whiskey. That makes it the perfect candidate for an on the rocks pour, preferably over one big ice cube. Still, that heat can be a lot, depending on what the proof of the version is that you actually find. So while it’s not perfect, it’s still pretty goddamn awesome.
1. Blanton’s Gold Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 51.5%
Average Price: $213
The Whiskey:
This single-barrel masterpiece was made for the international market but is now available widely in the U.S., albeit for a hefty price. The juice is all about the refinement of the single barrel aging process, with masterful finishing to bring this down to a very drinkable 102-proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a big greeting on the nose with notes of spicy tobacco leaves dipped in honey next to dried red berries dipped in salted caramel and dark chocolate before the richest eggnog drives your senses toward soft notes of winter fruit orchards and barks with a hint of moss and cellar dirt.
Palate: The palate carries those notes forward while leaning into the spiced cherry-chocolate tobacco and amps up the chili pepperiness and then balances that with a layer of buttery toffee creaminess, maple syrup-covered pecan waffles, and the softest of saddle leathers.
Finish: The finish takes its time fading out as notes of buttercream vanilla, winter spice bards, and orchard bark with a final billow of rich pipe tobacco popping at the very end with dry cedar kindling and the fleeting sense of a 100-year-old rickhouse.
Bottom Line:
This is the one. This is perfectly balanced and proofed to truly highlight everything great about Blanton’s. You can sip this neat. You can pour it over a big rock, allowing the creaminess to really go deep and reveal marzipan, eggnog pudding, and more buttercream. You can also put this into your favorite whiskey-forward cocktail to truly elevate it into the stratosphere.
This is the one to buy and enjoy.
