Blanton's

Last Friday, when we had that complete cock-tease of Spring, the night became a little chilly. I thought I'd indulge in a little Bourbon to warm me up. I was looking for something a little spicy and my friend suggested I try something I haven't yet: Blanton's- on the rocks.

I was immediately soothed by the fantastic smooth yet spicy flavor of the single barrel bourbon. Here's a little insight on it.

While bourbon has been enjoyed for a VERY long time, the first single barrel bourbon only dates back to 1984 by Buffalo Trace (then known as the Ancient Age Distillery). It completely changed the industry. Col. Albert Blanton is the inspiration for this. He started it by bottling his favorite barrel aged in the middle, or center cut, of Warehouse H. He would entertain his friends by serving them his favorite barrel and having it bottled. These bottles became his special select single barrel bourbons. In 1984, Blanton's became the first American entry into the premium whiskey market. Most distilleries today offer one or more single barrel bottlings, but Blanton's was the first single barrel on the market.

Now, Warehouse H, where Blanton's was bottled, was built right after Prohibition because there was such a high demand for alcohol. People wanted to get drunk and naked VERY badly and whiskey is the perfect way to do so (aside from tequila). It is the only tin clad aging warehouse on the distillery grounds. Since they needed to age so quickly, they built a four story tin warehouse rather than a brick building which would take longer. Because of the location to the river and the ability to heat and age bourbon in the long hot summers, Blanton felt it aged the bourbon the best. It's furthest away from the river which helps it retain heat before interacting with dew which happens when you're too close to the river.

The other iconic part of Blanton's bourbon is the horse and jockey on the stopper. The idea is that the heritage of horses in Kentucky parallels that of the bourbon.

On to the most interesting part: the flavor. Blanton's in it's most basic form is sweet with citrus and oak. The flavor profiles are creamy vanilla with hints of nuts, caramel, orange and light chocolate. The ABV is 46.5%. As a purist, I recommend never mixing it unless that mixer is ice.

Cheers, Colonel.