Blanton’s Takara Black

Blanton’s Takara Black

Introduction

This is the entry level, 80 proof Blanton’s aged 2 years longer than the green version. Blanton’s Takara Black is only available by import from Japan. This deserves a little back story. The mash bill for Blanton’s and a few other Buffalo Trace bourbons is owned by a Japanese company. This is Mash Bill #2, otherwise known as the “high rye” mash bill, though in reality, it’s only medium rye. Blanton’s has a special 80 proof bottling for outside of the United States. The green version is aged for the same amount of time as the original Blanton’s, while Takara Black is aged for the same amount of time as Takara Red. It’s named after Col. Albert B. Blanton, who was the one time president of what became the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Since Blanton’s Takara Black is 2 years older, we should expect the extra aging to extract more flavors from the wood. It’s allocated and new bottles will cost up to $300 on the secondary market.

Discussion

Blanton’s was the world’s first single barrel bourbon. For years, the original version was the only expression available. Then, several different expressions were released for sale outside of the United States. They were only available by import. One of those was an entry level 80 proof version, recognized by its green label. Another was the Takara Black, which was aged for 2 years longer but also bottled at 80 proof. Does the lower proof affect the quality of the bourbon? Do the extra 2 years of aging give Takara Black an edge over the green version? To answer the second question, refer to the review of the green Special Reserve. To answer the first question, what do you expect? The answer is yes. 80 proof is just too low for a bourbon. Takara Black does have some interesting notes. There’s a bit of rose petal and herbal tea on the nose. There’s a bit of apricot and mint on the palate. It reminds me a bit of Doublemint gum. Still, this bourbon is far too weak. The flavors don’t last. The finish is too short with no significant heat. I wonder what’s the point of this bourbon. Thus, I recommend pairing it with Tell Me Why by Shotgun Symphony. I guess drinkers outside the United States need a low proof entry level product to introduce them to the world of bourbon.