Bourbon Heritage Month 2020 Day 12 Blanton’s Black (Takara)

Nov 12

Blanton’s Black Label (Takara) REview

To close out week 2 of Bourbon Heritage Month, where I celebrated mashbill 2 of Buffalo Trace, I present Blanton’s Black Label, a special Japanese exclusive bottled at 40% ABV rather than Original’s 46.5%. This is effectively the Japanese version of the export-only Blanton’s Green Label, and is nearly identical. Might have to go back to Blanton’s SFTB to really finish out the week, but always a pleasure to crack something new for an occasion.

Buffalo Trace

40% ABV/80 Proof, NAS

Mashbill 2

Cask 219, Bottle 106, Rick N in Warehouse H

Dump Date: 9-10-2019, “N” topper.

Eye: Light honey, very thick bleeding rims and droplet legs.

Nose: Watered-down Blanton’s, a bit of cigar smoke and a maltiness more akin to Scotch.

Palate: Just like the nose, tastes like watered-down Blanton’s Original. Good for a highball but just eh as a sipper. The cigar smoke note stays around. Mouthfeel is mildly coating, thin, no burn.

Finish: Short and young.

Overall: Like the Green Label, this has its target audience - highball drinkers and those who want a whiskey with good flavors but a lighter body. You’d never know how thin this was by looking at the rim and legs, which look like this would pack a serious mouthfeel.

Rating: 4.5

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)