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Everything you need to know about Blantons Distillery
Most popular bottles from the bottler
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Blanton's Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon Takara Red JapanSpecial Price £179.98 Regular Price £199.99 Inc VATSaving £20.01 -
Blanton's Single Barrel Gold Edition Kentucky Whiskey 2024Special Price £116.98 Regular Price £129.99 Inc VATSaving £13.01 -
Blanton's Original Single Barrel Kentucky Whiskey 2024Special Price £64.98 Regular Price £74.99 Inc VATSaving £10.01 -
Blanton's Single Barrel Gold Edition Kentucky Whiskey 2023Special Price £114.98 Regular Price £129.99 Inc VATSaving £15.01
A brief History
Blanton's, Kentucky Region, USA. Founded in 1984
The Single Barrel Pioneer
Blanton’s is often called the original single barrel bourbon — and for good reason. Introduced in 1984 by Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee, Blanton’s was created as a tribute to Colonel Albert B. Blanton, a long‑time leader at the distillery, who was known for selecting exceptional barrels from “honey holes” to share with special guests.
What made Blanton’s special was its approach: rather than blending whiskey from multiple barrels to achieve consistency, each bottle of Blanton’s comes from a single barrel, preserving the unique flavour of that specific cask. That idea was revolutionary at the time and has since become a hallmark in premium bourbon. Blanton’s is distilled at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky under Sazerac’s stewardship.
Flavour Profile:
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| Spicy |
Sweet
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Oaky / Woody |
Blanton’s Bourbon is known for its bold, sweet, and spicy profile with plenty of character packed into every single barrel. It walks the line between smooth sippability and full-bodied heat. You’ll often find notes of toasted oak, butterscotch, and a warming dose of baking spice like clove and nutmeg, layered over a sweet base of caramel and vanilla.
There’s always a touch of unpredictability — after all, no two barrels are exactly alike. That’s part of the charm. One bottle might lean more fruity or creamy, while another might bring the oak and spice to the front.
Blanton’s is renowned for its bold, flavour-rich bourbon bottled straight from hand-selected barrels. It was one of the first to show that American whiskey could be premium, elegant, and worthy of collecting. Key flavour characteristics include:
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Sweet vanilla and caramel
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Deep oak spice
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Honeyed warmth
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Baking spice and charred wood
Top 4 Flavour Profile Ingredients
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Oak / Wood Spice |
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Caramel / Toffee |
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Vanilla |
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Nutmeg / Baking Spice |
Popular Expressions & Variants
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Blanton’s Original (Single Barrel) – The standard bottling, bottled at about 46.5% ABV (93 proof)
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Blanton’s Gold Edition – A higher proof version, designed for connoisseurs, often with deeper complexity
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Blanton’s Straight From the Barrel – Full cask strength bottling, undiluted and powerful
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Export / Special Versions – In some markets you’ll also see Gold, Special Reserve (Green Label), Takara / Japanese editions, etc., with small differences in proof, ageing or cask choice
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The Bottler
The Distiller: Blanton's
Address: Buffalo Trace Distillery, 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601 USA
 Open in maps |
 https://www.blantonsbourbon.com/ |
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Visitor Centre & Tours
While Blanton’s is technically produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, there isn’t a separate Blanton’s-only visitor centre. However, Blanton’s fans can still enjoy a full bourbon experience at Buffalo Trace, which offers a range of tours — and occasionally features Blanton’s bottles or barrels as part of the visit (though availability can vary).
Visitor Information:
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Where: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
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Tours: Free to attend, but booking in advance is highly recommended
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Opening Hours:
• Monday to Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
• Sunday: 12:00pm – 5:00pm -
Tour Types:
• Trace Tour – A general overview of the distillery, often with a tasting
• Hard Hat Tour – A more in-depth look behind the scenes
• Barrel Tour / Bourbon Pompeii – Focuses on historic parts of the site and bourbon’s ageing process
• Some tours occasionally show Warehouse H, where Blanton’s barrels are aged
Note: Because of high demand and limited bottle allocations, Blanton’s is not always available to sample or purchase during your visit — so don’t bank on going home with a bottle.
Ownership & History
Blanton’s has a relatively modern history by whisky standards, but it helped reshape the entire bourbon landscape.
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1984: Blanton’s Bourbon was launched by Elmer T. Lee, Master Distiller at the time, in honour of Colonel Albert B. Blanton, a long-serving distillery manager who worked from the early 1900s through Prohibition and beyond.
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Colonel Blanton had a tradition of selecting special barrels from Warehouse H to bottle for VIPs and friends — a practice Elmer T. Lee decided to bring to the public.
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Blanton’s became the first commercially released single barrel bourbon — meaning each bottle comes from just one barrel, unblended and unique. This idea was radical in the 1980s, when bourbon was still considered a value spirit rather than a premium collectible.
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The bourbon itself is produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery, which was known as the George T. Stagg Distillery during Blanton’s early days.
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The Sazerac Company currently owns both the Blanton’s brand and Buffalo Trace. The Japanese company Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd. owns the Blanton’s trademark in some international markets, especially Japan — which is why many early Blanton’s bottles were export-only or featured Japanese packaging.
Today, Blanton’s sits comfortably in the top tier of collectible bourbons, thanks to its packaging, barrel-specific identity, and consistent quality.
Bottler Facts
Overview & History
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Blanton’s is a single barrel bourbon made in Frankfort, Kentucky at the Buffalo Trace Distillery.
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First released in 1984, Blanton’s was the first commercially available single barrel bourbon, helping spark the modern premium bourbon movement.
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Named after Colonel Albert B. Blanton, who worked at the distillery for over 50 years.
Ownership & Production
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Produced by Buffalo Trace, which is owned by the Sazerac Company.
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Blanton’s is distilled from Buffalo Trace’s Mash Bill #2, which has a higher rye content than their standard recipe.
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Aged in Warehouse H, the only metal-clad warehouse at Buffalo Trace, known for its extreme temperature fluctuations that impact maturation.
Single Barrel Concept
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Each bottle of Blanton’s comes from a single barrel, not blended with others, making every batch slightly unique.
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Bottles are hand-labeled with details like the barrel number, warehouse, rick number, and bottling date.
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All Blanton’s bottles feature a horse and jockey bottle stopper, with eight different letters that spell "B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S" when collected.
Flavour Profile
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Nose: Caramel, vanilla, orange peel, and baking spices.
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Palate: Rich and smooth with notes of brown sugar, honey, citrus, toasted oak, and a touch of rye spice.
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Finish: Long, warm, and balanced — slightly dry with gentle spice and sweetness.
Popular Variants
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Blanton’s Original (Green Label / 93 proof): The most widely known version.
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Blanton’s Gold Edition: Higher proof (103) with a richer, deeper profile.
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Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel: Cask strength and unfiltered; highly sought after for its intensity and complexity.
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Blanton’s Special Reserve: Lower proof (80), designed for international markets.
Collector Appeal
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Due to limited production and high demand, Blanton’s can be hard to find and is often highly collectible.
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Fans often try to collect all 8 stopper letters, with the horse in a different galloping pose for each.
Blanton's Whisky to Buy
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Blanton's Black Takara Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey 2021Special Price £149.98 Regular Price £169.99 Inc VATSaving £20.01
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Blanton's Straight From The Barrel Bourbon Whiskey Cask Strength 2019Special Price £179.98 Regular Price £199.99 Inc VATSaving £20.01
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Blanton's Black Takara Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey 2022Special Price £149.98 Regular Price £169.99 Inc VATSaving £20.01
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Blanton's Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon Takara Red JapanSpecial Price £179.98 Regular Price £199.99 Inc VATSaving £20.01
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Carefully Packed
& Protected
Every bottle is securely packed to ensure it arrives safely.
Free UK Delivery
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