Blanton’s

Blanton’s

Introduction

This is the original single barrel bourbon released in 1984. It was a major revolution in the bourbon industry. Today, Blanton’s remains one of the most sought after bourbons in the world. Why is that? Is Blanton’s that special? Why does it fly off the liquor store shelves the moment it hits the stores? Why does it command triple the price on the internet? Blanton’s is made from Mash Bill #2 at Buffalo Trace, otherwise known as the “high rye” mash bill, though in reality, it’s only medium rye. It’s named after Col. Albert B. Blanton, who was the one time president of what became the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Every barrel is aged in Warehouse H, which is the only metal clad warehouse at Buffalo Trace. The temperature varies widely in this warehouse, which supposedly causes the bourbon to age faster. Each barrel is slightly different, but all barrels will remain within a limited flavor profile that is distinctly Blanton’s.

Discussion

This is the first time I’ve reviewed the original Blanton’s on Bourbon Roxx, but I’ve mentioned it many times in previous reviews. I’ve consumed so many bottles of this bourbon over the years that I can easily pick it out of a lineup. So, what exactly makes Blanton’s so special? Why is it so hyped? Does it deserve the hype, or does it actually deserve even more hype than it gets? Along with Eagle Rare, Blanton’s is the most underrated Buffalo Trace bourbon on the market. That’s right. Both Eagle Rare and Blanton’s deserve every bit of the hype, and then some! Eagle Rare packs so much fruity flavor into the bourbon that it takes an inexpensive bottle to a phenomenal level. However, Blanton’s is so simple and ordinary. If you read my list of aromas and flavors I noticed during the tasting, you’d say there’s nothing interesting about this bourbon. It’s vanilla, caramel, sweet corn and oak. That’s basic bourbon. There’s a prominent cherry flavor that runs through many, if not all, Buffalo Trace products. There’s a little bit of raisin bran cereal, but it’s all pretty simple. So, why is there so much hype? As I’ve said in so many videos, Blanton’s is the most perfect example of an ordinary bourbon in the world. Every single one of the typical bourbon flavors is done to absolute perfection. Blanton’s is ordinary done perfectly. Every bottle is topped with a racing horse stopper. Therefore, I recommend pairing it with American Horse by The Cult.