Bourbon Heritage Month 2020 Day 6: Blanton’s Original Single Barrel

ReviewsBourbonBourbon Heritage Month 2020

Sep 6

The Start of Mashbill 2/Week 2 starts where the single barrel began.

Blanton’s Single Barrel was created by Elmer T. Lee in 1984 as the capstone of his career at what is now the Buffalo Trace Distillery. With single barrel offerings all over the place nowadays, it’s worth remembering that when released, Blanton’s was the first of its kind. Many have followed, both in the Blanton’s family and across the globe, but the original and its “immediate family” are still all drawn from Warehouse H, the only tin-covered warehouse at Buffalo Trace. Add in the lettered toppers (introduced in 1999, they spell BLANTONS when collected and depict a horse and jockey running) and the iconic grenade-shaped bottle, and its a showpiece before, during, and after the sip.

For me, this is the bourbon I return to when I need to reset my palate, when I need to drink something comforting and familiar, and when I want something I know will always make me happy. With Buffalo Trace now building more tin-walled warehouses on its campus, its hard not to believe they are building capacity for future Blanton’s releases and increased supply 10 years from now. Let’s see if they can replicate the magic of Warehouse H and the legacy of Mr. Lee. Cheers to him, and to you at the start of week two of Bourbon Heritage Month.

Blanton’s Single Barrel Original

Buffalo Trace Mashbill #2 (High-Rye)

46.5% ABV/93 Proof

Dump Date: 3-4-2019, Rick 1 in Warehouse H

Bottle 201, Barrel 133

Eye: Dark caramel, long thick legs and a thin-medium rim.

Nose: Caramel-covered fruits. To me, this competes with Elijah Craig for defining what a bourbon should smell like. It’s like you mix a fruity Four Roses recipe, the caramel and vanilla from Heaven Hill, and a hint of the nutty richness from Jim Beam.

Palate: Vanilla and caramel coat the tongue with the tiniest whiff of alcohol heat and white pepper. Some red grape sweetness develops after a few sips carried by a coating, medium-bodied mouthfeel. Berries and stone fruits abound here. The nuttiness is the only note that doesn’t carry from the nose.

Finish: Medium-length, fruity and evaporative.

Overall: There’s a reason Blanton’s is my favorite. Straight from the Barrel is my top-rated whiskey, and each of the Blanton’s and other mashbill 2 products from Buffalo Trace rate at least 89 or higher on a 100-point scale for me. But this is the one that started it all in 1984, and the one I could as my house bourbon if I can keep my stocks up (that is, if I don’t drink it before I get to share!).

Rating: 7.9

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)