Blanton’s Original Single Barrel 2003

Blanton’s Original Single Barrel

DISTILLERY: BUFFALO TRACE

AGE: NAS

BOTTLED: 2003

REGION: KENTUCKY, USA

BOTTLE STRENGTH: 46.5% / 93 PROOF

BOTTLE SIZE: 70CL

Blanton’s Original Single Barrel.

• 1. Dumped 29th December 2003 from Cask 257, with original box.
• 2. Dumped 2nd January 2003 from Cask 94, with original box.

First released in 1984 by Elmer T. Lee who was the master distiller at Buffalo Trace distillery, which was then known as George T. Stagg Distillery, Blanton’s Original Single Barrel was the first single barrel bourbon commercially released.

Tasting Notes; sweet, citrus, oak, creamy vanilla and baking spices. Blanton’s Original Single Barrel 2003

This one was finished in 100 litre virgin casks. Colour: amber. Nose: typical young peat from very active oak. Powerful but balanced, fresh, very ‘precise’. Damp ashes and sand, garden bonfire, cut grass, then more marzipan and roasted nuts as well as a little fudge. Quite some mint and a little eucalyptus in the background.

Rather more aromatic than, say some peaty Islayers. With water: sweet peat and a lot of nutmeg. A little medicinal. Mouth (neat): very powerful but beautifully fruity and resinous beyond the peat, the pepper and the ginger. Also a little leather but just like the two previous ones, it’s very clean spirit. Gets finally a little more almondy and gingery. With water: perfect peat with a little fudge and always these gingery spices. Finish: long, clean, compact! Peat and sweet spices again. Comments: another perfect example of careful wood monitoring. Modern but perfect. I mean ‘and’ perfect.