Then, the barrels are charred, offering a smoky environment that almost caramelizes the liquid. The standard barrel size is 263 liters and weighs 225 kilos when full. What’s the difference between Bourbon and Whiskey? Woodford Reserve’s Baccarat will forever – rightly – be a talking point in the bourbon world, a fusion of sophistication and complexity with a brilliant light copper coloring. The difference between Baccarat and the brand’s other offerings comes from a few final touches: an extra period aging in XO Cognac barrels, the handmade crystal decanters it’s served in, and its insanely velvety, fruity, sweet, citrus-tinged taste. Maker’s Mark isn’t as spicy as rye-influenced whiskeys, making it a great Bourbon for a pairing. And don’t be put off by the ‘whisky’ spelling: it uses a process similar to that of Scotch, but that’s where the similarities end.

Age/Age Statement: Though not required, many distilleries display their whiskey offerings with the amount of time they’ve spent aging. Generally, the more years the liquor has spent in its barrels, the better – although there are some exceptions. In the late nineteenth century, Buffalo Trace’s reputation for fine whiskey led a young Albert Blanton to join the company as a Master Distiller. A specially reserved selection According to Vinepair, the encircled letters are engraved on the lower left side of each stopper. Since there are two “Ns” the second has a colon next to it. Honey, oak, tobacco, and citrus: these subtle flavors are all married together in a bottle of Blanton’s finest. Take a sip and close your eyes–it’s a taste that invites you to slow down and enjoy every moment of hand-selected whiskey as it warms you from head to toe. Blanton’s whiskey bottle prices and sizesRead Also: Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato Champagne Theres A Risk Of Inconsistency From Bottle To Bottle If this happens, you’ll be livid. On the label of every bottle of Blanton’s single-barrel Bourbon, there is a cute horse stopper. There is a little circle on the lower left corner of each stopper that has a letter written on it. With each of the eight cards, you receive “B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S” (and a sense of well-being). Is Blanton’s Bourbon Worth The Investment? A mixture of the grains listed above are milled and then combined with water and yeast and allowed to ferment—turning it into what basically amounts to a low-ABV beer. This liquid, known as mash, is then distilled, typically twice, in column or pot stills. Once it reaches the appropriate strength, the distillate, known as white dog (or "white whiskey," i.e. moonshine), is put into new charred oak barrels and allowed to age. (There is no minimum length of time the spirit has to be aged, excepting that it must be aged for a minimum of two years to be called "straight bourbon.") Once it is mature, the whiskey is either "cut" with water or bottled at barrel strength.

The letters all have the same number of characters. However, because Blanton’s is bottled by hand, it is distributed on a random basis. Some letters may appear to be more difficult to find due to this. How Many B-l-a-n-t-o-n-s Letters Are There? One more note is that we didn’t go with rare, impossible to find unicorn bottles (i.e. Old Rip Van Winkle 25) that are rarely seen outside of google image searches on the internet.

This is Buffalo Trace’s other other single barrel brand (Blanton’s and Elmer T. Lee being the two icons). The whiskey is made from the same mash bill as those two, which is Buffalo Trace’s Mash Bill No. 2 (they’re higher rye recipe). Basically, this is a higher ABV version of Blanton’s with a slightly varied flavor profile from that brand. Blanton’s Bourbon is one of the most famous whiskeys in the world. It is complimented for its flavor and the edgier aspects of the brand. A single letter is embedded at the base of each bottle topper, which when combined spells “B-L-A-N-T-O-N’-S.” Jeffrey Morgenthaler, bartender and co-owner of Pacific Standard in Portland, Oregon, calls it “an absolutely flawless bourbon, and one of the finest examples of American whiskey in the world today.” He also found Woodford to show more complexity than other whiskeys in its price range and emphasizes its excellent value. Other qualities distinguish bourbon as well, including a characteristic sweetness from the corn, which can be absent in other American spirits such as rye whiskey. These elements also make this wholly unique style of spirit so different from Scotch and other popular types of global whiskey, like Canadian and Japanese whisky.

This much-loved spirit has a distinct flavor profile and a history to match. The time, care, dedication, and craftsmanship that goes into Bourbon make it quite unlike anything else you’ll spot in the liquor cupboard. In 1964, Congress even declared Bourbon “America’s Native Spirit.” There are different types of bourbon on the market, depending on how they’re made. Single barrel bourbon, sweet or rare. Learn more about the terms and distillery processes to understand what goes into making a delicious bottle. I’m all in on Blanton’s. I may have two other bourbons in my house at most I’m not a well-rounded bourbon collector. My boss suggested it to me, gave it to me as a gift and I liked the horse toppers and collecting the letters like most people. That first bottle of Blanton’s made its signature blend of oak and citrus an instant icon. However, the single-barrel origin of each bottling made it easy to experiment. Soon, Buffalo Trace enhanced the Blanton’s line with three other bottles: Blanton’s Special Reserve, Straight from the Barrel, and its Gold Edition.

Q: How Long Have You Been Collecting Blanton’s

There’s an easy way to tell a bottle of Blanton’s apart from other blends of whiskey–and you don’t even have to open the bottle or look at the label! The unique bottle stoppers that grace each bottle of Blanton’s are topped by a small statuette of a horse, cast in bronze. Each one is a little different; for some, the racing horse is mid-stride; in others, the horse appears to be slowing down. His genius for bourbon production propelled his rise from Maintenance Engineer to Plant Engineer, where he was eventually promoted to Plant Superintendent. From there he earned the shared title of Plant Manager and Master Distiller where he oversaw much of the distillery’s modernization and growth until he retired in 1985. A handwritten “dump date” is also placed on each label. Blanton’s is one of the few brands that list the date the barrel was emptied, which draws collectors looking for specific bottles to mark wedding anniversaries or birthdays. It's one of the most popular spirits in the United States, but what is bourbon, exactly? By definition, bourbon is a type of American whiskey made from at least 51% corn, complemented by grains like malted barley, rye, and wheat. The American Bourbon Association also points out that it must age in charred new oak barrels and include no color or flavor additives. This bourbon is perfectly balanced and the critics agree about its quality and desirability. Whiskey Bible referred to it as “ liquid gold” and bottles of Blanton’s have won a staggering number of awards. Blanton’s has figured out how to balance the sweet and spicy notes of bourbon and reach perfection without blending barrels. They rely entirely on quality ingredients and production to produce an excellent bourbon.

You only need eight horses to complete a set, but note that these bottle toppers’ spelling comes out to be “BLANTON:S”. The second ‘N:’ has the colon right after it. You May Like: Scotch Brite Heavy Duty Scour Pad I Have An Old Brown Bottle With A White Horse On The FrontMaster Distiller Elmer T. Lee released Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon in 1984, at a time when the Bourbon industry appeared to be on a downward slope. But Blanton’s higher-rye mash bill proved a success, and the brand has risen from strength to strength over the years. Anyone who enjoys a classic bourbon will find something to enjoy in the beautiful, complex liquid within,” adds Morgenthaler. After hand-distilling that carefully-chosen barrel into bottles, one by one, Colonel Blanton would open them infrequently to toast visiting dignitaries and beloved guests. It was in Blantons name that Buffalo Traces master distiller Elmer T. Lee made a special Single Barrel reserve in the 1980sthe first commercially produced single barrel bottling. Since then, many other brands have debuted their own similar lines however, Blantons will always be the first. Its hard to believe a product made in the U.S. wasnt originally appreciated by people living there. But its true. In fact, Blantons creators designed it that way. Young Americans in the 70s rebelled against their parents drinking habits and opted for vodka. In our full bottle review of Four Roses Single Barrel, our reviewer notes that this expression uses one "yeast-mash-bill combo that produces a rich, fruity, spicy and thoroughly delicious bourbon." He goes on to note, "A lot of single barrels go for extremes, whether in proof or in flavor profile. Not so here. This is a totally approachable bourbon that’s easy enough for everyday drinking but complex and rich enough for special-occasion quaffing."