Like a slice of apple pie.
Known as the world’s first single barrel bourbon, a bottle of Blanton’s is a sight to behold. Bottled in a short, octagonal-sided bottle, it feels like holding a potion bottle… presentation plays a big role in the bourbons I choose. On top is a wax-sealed horse and jockey figurine along with a letter: B L A N T O N S, each letter is accompanied by a different horse and jockey position. Collect them all and send in for a prize! Actually it is pretty cool, arrange the letters to spell Blanton’s and the horse will show all the stages between the starting gate to the finish line (nice touch).
What a sophisticated bottle
Unlike most other single barrel bourbons, Blanton’s doesn’t list the age of the whiskey. Instead, they claim that every barrel is unique and only their master distiller can determine when a particular barrel is ready. Blanton’s takes this unique process very seriously, hand-numbering every bottle, including the barrel number, bottle number, and proof of the whiskey among other unique details. The local wine & spirits where I picked the bottle up even gets to select the barrel they will receive their bottles from, there’s even a custom band around the bottle’s neck that reads, “Personally selected by the staff of Mile High Wine & Spirits Barrel #215”, I’m impressed.
Blanton’s has a nice dark, golden hue, so far so good. The nose is impressive, right away I notice green apples and a little cinnamon, like warm apple pie! There is also notes of butterscotch and spice. Take a sip and there is a very smooth, buttery vanilla flavor. The flavor profile is bright, comparable to Basil Hayden’s small batch but with a little more complexity. It has floral notes and a spice that follows. The finish is quite dry and leaves you quicker than I’d like, leaving you with slight oak and honey flavors.
Bottle no. 240, stored in warehouse H on rick no. 17 from barrel no. 215, dumped on 4-18-11 at 93 proof. Definitely a fun bourbon to have around, maybe even collect the whole set. I’m not going to make Blanton’s my stand by bourbon by any means, but it’s capable of holding its own against some of the other comparably priced bourbons at around $45. Some say Blanton’s really opens up when left uncorked for 3 weeks, I’ll leave that for another review.
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