States With Liquor Control Boards
In the US, specific states have different laws and regulations regarding the production, sale, and distribution of alcohol in their jurisdiction.
These are the following states that have those liquor control boardsAlabama, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
These control boards may be more restrictive than federal regulations, making these single barrel bourbons like Blantons harder to find.
Who Makes Blantons Bourbon
Buffalo Trace Distillery is the sole producer of Blanton’s Bourbon, as well as its many varieties and limited edition bottlings. Blanton’s whiskey is made from Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2 and aged 6 to 8 years in the distillery’s metal-clad rickhouse, which is intended to speed up the aging process.
The ownership of Blanton’s is a little more complicated. Blanton’s was once made at the George T. Stagg distillery however, the distillery was controlled by Age International Inc. at the time. Age International commissioned Elmer T. Lee to manufacture a premium bourbonthe Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon — to gain momentum in the burgeoning Japanese market.
In 1992, Age International sold the Stagg distillery and its brands to Takara Holdings, eventually selling it to Sazerac without the Age International labels . In other words, Sazerac is contracted to make Blanton’s and has the right to market it in the United States, while Takara Holdings controls the brand.
You Can Collect The Horse Stoppers And It Will Drive You Mad
Theres an adorable horse stopper atop every bottle of Blantons single-barrel Bourbon. Each one has a letter inscribed on it that you can find in a little circle on the lower left part of the stopper. Collect all eight and you get B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S . FYI, the S shows the horse crossing the finish line you can tell because the jockey is fist-pumping. But dont join him in the winners circle just yet double-check that your Ns arent identical. The first is a regular old N, but the second should have a colon after it, as shown here.
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How Much Does A Bottle Of Blantons Cost
According to online retailer Drizly, a 375ml bottle of Blantons Single Barrel costs $50.59 on August 9th, 2022. The 750ml bottle costs $129.99.
For those in the know, theres also a bit of secondary market trading going on. You may be able to barter and flip your way to a great bottle of bourbon by trading two good bottles. Or, by negotiating on liquor bottle sizes as well.
A Specially Reserved Selection
Blantons is a special blend that its original maker, Colonel Blanton, bottled specifically for the private enjoyment of his most esteemed family, and friends. According to master distillers who worked with the Colonel in the 1940s, Blanton would walk among the bourbon barrels, stacked high in their cool Kentucky warehouses. Hed carefully select special honey barrels, based on their unique aroma, and hed set them aside for his own special use.
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.
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It Was The Worlds First Single
Single-barrel bourbon wasnt a thing before 1984 . Among the many generous acts of Elmer T. Lees career at Buffalo Trace was this final parting gift the creation of a super-premium bourbon category, i.e., bourbon taken from one barrel and bottled as is. Not only did Lee revive the bourbon industry, he created a lasting category that almost every major bourbon producer answers to with a bottle of its own.
Legal Or Not Single Barrel Still Really Matters
Sure, well roll our eyes at single-stalk corn syrup and single-pig salami when they inevitably enter the market, but we take the implications of single-barrel bourbon seriously . While bourbon in general is blended by brand and distillery to create a desired flavor profile, a single-barrel bourbon categorically rejects blending. Instead, we embrace whatever inimitable magic the aging process has done to the whiskey inside one particular barrel.
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We Owe It To A Guy Called Blanton And His Thirst For Good Bourbon
Yes, there was a Blanton Albert Bacon Blanton. Lee named his game-changing single-barrel after Blanton, a man who had worked his way up from 16-year-old desk clerk at what would become Buffalo Trace Distillery to distillery president from 1921 to 1952. Blanton grew the distillery exponentially and saw it through Prohibition and World War II. Naming the single-barrel for Blanton is a tribute: Back in the day, Blanton would put aside what he considered to be the best bourbon, which came from barrels aged in the center of the all-metal Warehouse H . To this day, thats where Blantons single-barrel Bourbon is aged.
Q: How Long Have You Been Collecting Blanton’s
It’s been about two years with the past year-and-a-half going full steam ahead, all-in. The pandemic definitely accelerated it. I’ve gone in pretty quick, driven mostly by my OCD and desire to get as many as I can. I see something go for auction in Europe and I think “I have to get it before it goes away.”
I don’t think of it as an investment, but these bottles do hold their value. I’m not seeing it as a growth opportunity, but it could be worse. Two years ago I was asking anyone would listen about this stuff now they’re asking me questions about valuation and rarity and what company makes the stoppers.
If you looked at my site and said I want all these bottles. I would think it would be $75,000 to $100,000. I’ve sunk something like $50,000 into it so far.
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How To Enjoy Blantons Whiskey
If youre new to the world of bourbon, Blantons Special Reserve or Single Barrel are the best places to start. They offer the best balance of strong, spicy, and sweet. To enjoy them in their most traditional forms, pour into a short, wide-mouthed glass. This will allow the aroma to open up the flavor even more, allowing you to experience the citrusy, woody notes with more clarity.
Blantons Barrels Are Also Mildly Tortured
With the bourbon inside, Blantons barrels are aged for several years in Warehouse H. Since metal conducts heat, the walls of Warehouse H act like an amplifier for Kentuckys temperature fluctuations, increasing the impact of heat and humidity changes all of which encourages the barrels to absorb and then flush out the bourbon more often over the course of aging. The more interaction between bourbon and barrel, the more flavor in the end.
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Shipping And Return Policies
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This seller usually responds within 24 hours.
Great decoration to corner of man cave – 2nd Blanton Race Track i’ve bought happy with both
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We were very pleased with the corks and horses!
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3 months ago
these people are the best.i got the blantons dispay and all the stoppers.i ordered it and it was here in 2 days.thank you.etsy you are awesome.will be back,jerry kurtz
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B State Run Liquor Store
Another option is available to folks who live in a state-controlled liquor store state or ABC state where the local state government controls the distribution and/or run the stores. These states strictly control what bottles come into the state, where they go, and how theyre priced and sold. That means that price hikes generally never overshoot MSRP. But that also means that lines form early for big releases like Blantons. Some states require a local drivers license to buy booze, but beyond that wrinkle, this is widely considered a great equalizer for buying bottles.
If you live in one of these states, just click the link below to see if you can find some Blantons on the states product and price lists !
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Straight From The Barrel
Not only one of the worlds best bourbons, Blantons Straight from the Barrel is one of the worlds best whiskeys. Created for connoisseurs familiar with cask strength whiskeys, this enormous taste profile reaches depths of flavor found only in the rarest of spirits. On the nose we get notes of dark chocolate, caramel and butter with earthy undertones of walnut and hazelnut. The palate delivers intrepid notes of warm vanilla, oak, toasted nuts and a rich spiciness with hints of butterscotch or honey. The high alcohol by volume is intense and powerful yet inviting. The deep and resonate finish on this bourbon is nothing short of legendary. Straight from the barrel is best served neat or with a splash of water. Un-filtered, un-cut, unbelievable.
Blantons Has Finally Blessed The Us With Two Previously Unavailable Editions
For years, U.S. Blantons lovers pined after two products they couldnt get their hands on in the states. . But Blantons single-barrel Gold Edition and Straight From The Barrel bourbons are now finally available on the American market.
The Gold edition, a 103-proof version of Blantons classic single-barrel bourbon, made its way to U.S. shelves in the summer of 2020 and is released in limited quantities once a year at a suggested MSRP of $120. Straight From The Barrel an uncut, unfiltered bottle wasnt far behind. In fall 2020, it made its domestic debut with a $150 price tag. Like the Gold edition, its only released once a year, so Blantons fans need to keep their eyes peeled if they want to get their hands on either of the sought-after bottles.
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Blantons Bourbon At Costco: Price Guide & More
Last Updated on September 30, 2022 by Lydia Martin
Blantons bourbon is one of the most elusive bottles in the whiskey industry.
Sure, you can always get a bottle from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, but its worth noting that each customer can only purchase one bottle every 90 days, and thats if the distillery has them in stock.
But did you know that you can now get Blantons bourbon in Costco? If you want to push your luck, read on to know more about Blantons bourbon Costco price, which stores its available, and more.
Q: Are You The Most Prolific Blanton’s Collector Out There
Not necessarily, but I am probably the merch guy. There are “box guys” who obsess and collect the packaging exclusively. There are of course bottle guys who have basically every bottle. I’m a merch guy. Again, with the Japanese tie-in, a significant amount of the marketing they’ve done for Blanton’s has been in the Japanese market. I’ve got all sorts of chotzkies watches, signs, mirrors, keychains, Zippo lighters and all sorts of other stuff. In these groups I’m in if someone is going to sell something they immediately tag me because they know they can empty my pockets for it. I paid $1,000 for a Blanton’s watch. It’s not Cracker-Jack cereal box quality, but it’s definitely not a Rolex. It’s ridiculous but I had to have it I’d never seen it before.
All in all, though, there are probably four or five ‘uber’ collectors that Im aware of. My collection has holes and several others have more depth, but they are missing the super-rare ones that I have, which is what elevates me into one of the top five or so collectors. Im aware of one person who has 99 percent of the bottles I track on my website. She is the ultimate collector!
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Q: What’s The Most Valuable Or Rarest Bottles You Don’t Own But Are Hunting Down
There’s five LMDWs I need. The ’98 and ’99 Paris By Day & Paris By Night as well as some others. There’s something called the Frankfurt 200th Anniversary bottle, and it’s supposed to be the first special bottling of Blanton’s ever, done in celebration of Frankfurt, Kentucky’s bicentennial. It has a unique topper and doesn’t even say Blanton’s on the label.
There’s one that was sold or given I don’t know the true story to readers of a German magazine I can’t pronounce well . It’s hard to find, for sure. We just call it the German Bottle.
There’s also the My Only Blanton’s bottle. In 2006, Takara released a private barrel program. You could buy a barrel yourself or you could buy an allotment of a barrel with a group of 20 people. Both of those labels are extremely unique. The shared offering is actually more rare now. I only know of one bottle.
Common Recipes: What To Mix With Blantons Bourbon
As is typical of expensive alcoholic drinks – whiskeys in particular – fans say that the best way to enjoy them is to drink them neat or, at most, with a few cubes of ice. This is especially true of drinks with Blantons price tag .
Yet for those of you who want to add a little more zest to your consumption, here are some of the best recipes involving the bourbon.
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What Does Blantons Have To Say About Its Own Scarcity
Blantons Whiskey states, Despite an increase in distillation over the past few years, demand for Blantons is outpacing supply. We are making more bourbon every day. While we wait, there may be times when bottles of Blantons Single Barrel are missing from store shelves. We kindly ask our fans to remember, aging good bourbon takes time, and were doing our best to keep up. Due to existing law, we cannot sell Blantons directly to consumers.
So yeah, they know about the difficulties that face the small batch bourbon consumer and they are trying to do something about it. However, Kentucky bourbon cannot be sold directly to you.
Its not the times of Prohibition where they are secretly bootlegging it out the back door either. You know, the people that they used to call distributors.
The Buffalo Trace Distillery actually leans more on the actual process of distilling to explain why there isnt more High-Rye Bourbon available to the average bourbon drinker, and not the aforementioned supply chain issues.
The Classic Blantons Label
Blanton’s label is as attractive as the horse stopper. Blanton’s meticulously records each stage of the manufacturing method for each product.
For a time, schools quit teaching cursive, but it’s making a reappearance. We like to think it’s because the next generation won’t be able to grasp Blanton’s label. Because all that flowing calligraphy tells you the barrel number, the number of the rick from which the barrel was taken, the proof the bourbon was bottled at, the finished bottle’s ABV, and even the day the bourbon was poured.
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Theres A Risk Of Inconsistency From Bottle To Bottle
Thats part of the magic and curse of a single-barrel product. Bourbons are typically created by blending whiskey from multiple barrels to reach a desired flavor profile. But as you now know single-barrel bourbons like Blantons take a different approach. Every individual barrel ages differently, even when aging in the same warehouse with others. Thus, the final product might taste unique from bottle to bottle.
Granted, youre still operating in bourbon territory, so there are fairly limited elements at play . The range of possible flavors is nothing too crazy. However, each barrel might showcase varying degrees of brown sugar, smoke, caramel, clove, vanilla, hazelnut, orange peel, and other flavor notes.
Q: What’s The Most Valuable Or Rarest Bottle You Own
The first thing you should know is it’s not like Pappy, where bottles comes out once every year. Most of these bottles came out of one or two barrels in one place 10 or 20 years ago it’s a different kind of thing.
Most Blanton’s collectors would call my Sterling Silver the unicorn. A lot of people call it the ‘Starling’ because the name tag was printed with a misspelling of ‘sterling’ on it, but the documentation that comes with the bottle calls it the ‘Sterling.’ The story is that there’s fewer than 100 bottles ever in existence, but there’s not much in the way of verifiable proof of that.
But the true unicorn is the 2012 Le Maison Du Whisky release. They only made one barrel’s worth of bottles in those days, so they’re far more rare. The bar didn’t even hang onto one. They’ve got most of the old ones in there, but not the old one.
The third bottle is the Tazuka 100 year anniversary. There are only seven bottles we know of in the collecting community, and I’ve got two of them.
The 2007 LMDW with the handwritten label was called the Private Stock, that one is very rare as well.
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Why Blantons Costs More Than Other Bourbons
One reason why Blantons costs more than other whiskeys of its class is simply because it has been marketed as something of a luxury brand of bourbon. In order to note this, you need to look no further than their bottle design. This liquor is cased in a grenade-shaped bottle topped with a cap holding one of a series of eight statuettes representing eight stages of a horse race.
Aside from the rich packaging and lineage of the beverage, single-barrel whiskeys always tend to cost more than blends, or alcohol coming from several different casks. For example, Jack Daniels Single Barrel Whiskey is difficult to find for any less than the mid-$40 range, whereas plain Jack costs only about $26.00.
Whether or not theres a real reason for the price hike is unknown, but some people prefer single-barrel because it has a more unique taste than blended bourbons, which are mixed for uniform taste. It might also be more exciting for you to drink these single-barrel bourbons, as you never quite know what to expect.