Review 150: Blanton's Original Single Barrel

Here is another bourbon distilled at Buffalo Trace. Unlike the wheated Weller from last review, Blanton's has   more traditional bourbon mashbill that includes a proportion of rye grain. Blanton's is known for being the first bourbon marketed as a single barrel. I'm sure there were a lot of single barrel bourbons around before Blanton's, but it looks like they were the first to make a big deal about it. Let's hope this sample, from barrel 271, happens to be a good one!

Blanton's Original Single Barrel

Color: Amber +2

ABV: 46.5%

Aroma Neat:
Toasted Oak, Vanilla, Homemade Marshmallows, Nutmeg, Ash, Overdone Marzipan/Nougat, Dried Orange Peels/Blood Orange, Dried Coconut, Shaved Dutch Chocolate, Light Roast Coffee (slightly), Creamy/Starch Cooked Grains.

A pleasing nose, with vanillin-laden American oak, spice, citrus, and some char play nicely together. This doesn't strike me as being an overly sweet or corny bourbon, which what I generally prefer.

Aroma Water:
Oak-Matured Honey (I know...), Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Peanutty Nougat/Payday Candy Bars, Blood Oranges, Squeezed Apples (slightly), Pina Colada, Coca Cola, Pepper (slightly), Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Fatty Corn/Cooked Cereals.

A bit sweeter and fruitier than neat, but not much. Spiciness is more prominent after a few minutes.

Taste Neat:
Barrel Char, Dirty Wild Honey, Raw Vanilla (almost vegetal), Robust Oak, Tar/Molasses (a bit salty), Nuttiness/Roasted Almonds.

Like the nose, this is definitely on the less sweet side for bourbon. It's robustly oaky and burnt, but the tannins are of the dull, rather than sharp and prickly, variety. Surprisingly, there's a notable saltiness.

Taste Water:
Ashy Honey, Salty Barrel Char, Dry Oak, Cooked Vanilla, Oily/Fatty Corn, Bitter Grains, Molasses/Marmite (slightly).

Sweet than neat at first, but the saltiness and dryness comes right back soon after hitting the tongue. More open and expressive than neat.

Finish:
Salty Char, Rich Oak, Burnt Nougat (nuts/dark honey), Honeyed Vanilla.

There is definitely a vein of salt running though the finish, which is very nice and certainly uncommon for bourbon (at least in my experience).

Conclusion:
A nose that is best neat, with good balance and dimension.

Palate that I, interestingly prefer with a bit of water. More of the spirit shows though and a honeyed character brings balance to what is a surprisingly dry bourbon.

Medium duration finish, which isn't much of departure from the palate.

Rating: 82/100

Something about this bourbon just made didn't quite do it for me. It's still good stuff, which is why it's in the 80's. It's just that not everything clicked. I've said frequently that often prefer austere and challenging whiskies. Well, this is certainly dry, a bit challenging, and austere for a bourbon. Maybe I prefer the more austere scotch whiskies, but still prefer a bit more sweetness and easy hospitality from my bourbon whiskies... Who can say?

Josh