Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Review #5 - Blanton's Gold Edition Straight Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon



Moving to Germany has afforded me the opportunity to get my hands on a version of Blanton's that most fans of American whiskey living in the United States will never get to drink called Blanton's Gold Edition.

The Gold Edition is made specifically for the European market, bottled at a higher alcohol by volume (ABV) than standard Blantons, and is considered by the Master Distiller as coming from the best barrels at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Colonel Blanton, for which the Bourbon is named after, considered the middle ricks in Warehouse H to be the finest Bourbon at the distillery. The bottle states: "We believe this is the finest bottle of whiskey ever produced, affording you extra flavor, bouquet and character".

Another very important note about Blanton's Bourbon is that it is one of the first Bourbons ever to bottled from a single barrel. The history dates to 1984 when legendary Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee decided to start bottling from barrels located exclusively in Colonel Blanton's favorite Warehouse H. 

PRODUCT SPECS

Whiskey Type - Bourbon

Alcohol By Volume (ABV) - 51.5%

Bottling Date - 08-20-2013

Barrel Number - 306

Rick Number - 19

WareHouse - H

Mashbill - Buffalo Trace's Mashbill #2 which is the higher Rye recipe.

Age - No age statement. Most likely 8 years.

NOSE
Vanilla cola
Caramel
Freshly peeled citrus - orange and tangerine
Candied corn
Red cedar wood

With water:
Vanilla icing
Cherries and red berry fruit
Fresh floral bouquet 

PALATE
Powdered sugar
Fresh fruit
Honeysuckle 
Dark chocolate
Light mint
Coffee
Light oak

FINISH
Medium to long that is very smooth. The flavors change as the whiskey lingers from sugar to red fruits to cocoa. Nice light oakiness complements the sweetness and the finish is perfectly balanced.

FINAL IMPRESSIONS
Blanton's Gold Edition Straight Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon is a fantastic whiskey. This Bourbon has one of the best noses I have encountered for an American Bourbon. After adding some water to proof the whiskey down and allowing Blanton's Gold to sit for awhile and open up you are left with a breathtaking dram. It is hard to imagine Bourbon getting any better than Blanton's Gold.

PRODUCT RATING 
5 out of 5. Blanton's Gold truly is one of the legendary whiskies on the market. I purchased this bottle from a small whiskey shop in Stuttgart for 56 Euro ($77). This is the first whiskey I have rated at 5 out of 5 and it is truly an amazing Bourbon.

RATING SYSTEM
0 - hot dog water - nothing redeeming
1 - one dimensional - not complex and can be flat in areas
2 - entry level whiskey -  a few highlights for a good value
3 - daily sipper - solid, well made product that is always enjoyed.
4 - big whiskey - complex layered flavors - amazing balance
5 - huge, exceptional, unique, one of a kind