Blanton's Original

Blanton's is a single barrel product of the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Blanton's is sold in five different versions at different strengths ranging from 40% Special Reserve to Straight from the Cask at Cask Strength at as much as 65%+ ABV. The mashbill is what Buffalo Trace calls "rye recipe", which is to say the higher rye content mashbill than that used for many of the Buffalo Trace bourbons. The reviewed sample is from 375 ml bottle # 241 from barrel # 97, dumped on 1-31-2013. The reviewed bottle has been open for 9 days and is now empty. The review is in sequential format

Nose: spicy rye, hickory wood, spearmint, anise, nice maple and oak; sweet, strong, sharp, vivid, resonant, and beautiful

Taste: the nose translates well onto the palate; delicious

Finish: long and strong; this is a kick-ass bourbon

Balance: I've had Blanton's maybe 9 times before this bottle, and, of the first 9 samples I really only liked one of them a lot. Most I would probably have rated in the low 80's, largely because there is a low-pitched anise-y flavour included in them about which I am not crazy. I always suspected that that particular flavour was related to the yeast strain used for Blanton's, because I don't taste it in any other Buffalo Trace bourbons. It could also relate to heavy char reported to be used with Blanton's. Be that as it may, I find this reviewed bottle to be outstanding in every respect. The anise flavours are well-integrated and do not bother me here at all. It is also significant that I have gotten the chance to observe this bourbon from the first bottle opening, and know its oxidation history. A review is a review of one or more samples from a particular bottle after all. Have I become more accepting of the anise flavours in Blanton's? Maybe. Additional tastings of various samples of Blanton's will give more information on that subject

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