Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel

Blanton’s.

To many people, Blanton’s is the unicorn in bourbon. Named after Albert B. Blanton – president of what would later become Buffalo Trace Distillery – this expression elicits a strong response. Being the world’s first single barrel bourbon has made it cool. But the John Wick movies made it cooler. Couple that with its unique bottle design and its collectable topper, and Blanton’s has become highly sought after; with some willing to pay exorbitant sums for even the standard release.

But not every Blanton’s expression in the same. Above the standard release sits Blanton’s Gold (bottled at 103 proof), and Straight from the Barrel – the only true unadulterated expression of Blanton’s that comes straight from the cask. This means that those lucky enough to find a Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel are promised a pure Blanton’s experience – one that until recently even the most avid in the USA have struggled to experience. That’s because up until then last few years, Blanton’s Gold and Straight from the Barrel were export only releases. Most bottles went to Asia and Europe. But in recent years, Buffalo Trace had begun releasing small quantities of both Gold and Straight from the Barrel in the US market.

So what we have for today’s review is a bottle of Straight from the Barrel – loaned to me by a good friend who shelled out a bit over retail for the privilege. Now the specifics: it’s barrel number 14, rick number 36, from the famous warehouse H, and is bottled at 125.1 proof. This is technically a European import bottle sold by K&L Wine Merchants in Los Angeles. And with a retail price of around $129.99, this is a big-time bourbon with a big time price. So let’s dive in and see if this unicorn can put out some magic.