Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Bourbon
Average Price:$75
The Whiskey:
Smoke Wagons meteoric rise can be attributed to their crew masterfully sourcing and blending some of the best barrels from MGP of Indiana that were made available in the modern era. Case in point, the latest batch from the company was a high-rye bourbon that was an instant hit and was filled into bottles with no fussing at all.
Tasting Notes:
Based on Batch 29, expect a nose full of classic bourbon notes of orange oils, cinnamon stewed apples, caramel with a touch of salt, and peachy wood chips. The palate really embraces the fruit and moves from that peach vibe towards a blackberry crumble thats just kissed with nutmeg and clove that leads towards a hint of old leather, singed cedar planks, and a late hint of cherry-touched tobacco. That leather, berry tobacco, and cedar drive the finish towards a dry end.
Bottom Line:
This is just classic from top to bottom. I like sipping on this with a rock but also use it for Manhattans thanks to the higher ABVs.
All 19 Brands From The Buffalo Trace Distillery Ranked
Buffalo Trace is one of those distilleries thats reached full mythic status. Whiskey lovers from around the world whisper about the secret mash bills, hallowed brick rickhouses, and very rare juice thats made on their stills. Pappy, Eagle Rare, Sazerac Rye, Weller, Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr., and Blantons are all household names in the whiskey world.
But Buffalo Traces roster goes well beyond those signature brands. All told, Buffalo Trace puts out dozens of whiskeys under 19 unique brand names. They also have a bespoke soda pop shingle with ginger ale, root beer, and ginger beer but well save those for another day.
Today, were ranking all 19 brands from Buffalo Trace Distillery and calling out our favorite bottles from each one. Its impossible to do this without taking price and accessibility into this ranking. Buffalo Traces whiskeys are some of the most sought after and, therefore, ridiculously priced whiskeys in the world. They also release some super rare juice that youre probably never going to find outside of the distillery shop, lotteries, or by owning a liquor store of your own. We cant pretend that everyone can get all of these, even if weve been lucky enough to taste them.
In the end, were ranking these bottles and brands by how tasty, affordable, and attainable their expressions are. Its a balancing act, so bear with us lets see how it all shakes out. If you do have a little extra change to spend, click on the price of any bottle that grabs you.
Unique And Rare Design
Blanton’s Bourbon is one of the most famous whiskeys in the world. It is complimented for its flavor and the edgier aspects of the brand. A single letter is embedded at the base of each bottle topper, which when combined spells “B-L-A-N-T-O-N’-S.”
A handwritten “dump date” is also placed on each label. Blanton’s is one of the few brands that list the date the barrel was emptied, which draws collectors looking for specific bottles to mark wedding anniversaries or birthdays.
You May Like: Where To Buy Kah Tequila
Where To Buy Blantons
All sold out everywhere except the liquor store who is selling for 249$ plus tax. Im completely new to Bourbon and all I ever hear about is this Bottle. Edit: Im in Arizona
Please dont chase or even waste any time looking for Blantons. If you see it on the shelf under $60 then buy it. If not find something else to try.
But my neighbor has it and I don’t and it has that horse on the top.
This. Try Eagle Rare, Russells Reserve 10, Henry McKenna, etc. Cycle through the greatest hits in the 35-40 range and dont worry about Blantons.
I definitely would consider myself relatively insensitive to pricing when it comes to good whiskey, so trust me when I say, its not worth more than $100. Really isnt. Its good but not that good.
The gold standard $50 bottle bottle that I compare all whiskys in that range against.
Lets stop the BS, not worth it at all.
Could not agree more, my friend. I wonder if you are like me though in that I love BT Mashbill #1 products, but dont care for their #2 line up. Ive had Blantons, Rock Hill Farms, and Elmer T Lee and find them all underwhelming.
If you really want it, go on a Royal Caribbean cruise. They have it in the on board liquor store at less than $70 a bottle. If you bought 4 bottles and resold two it could pay for the cruise it took to get them.
Definitely not. Blantons sells for 100 bucks even on secondary. Definitely cant pay for a cruise with 80 bucks. I hope this was sarcasm.
Blue Note Juke Joint Straight Bourbon
Average Price:$30
The Whiskey:
This sourced whiskey comes from Kentucky. The juice is a blend of 70 percent corn, 21 percent rye, and nine percent malted barley whiskey thats aged for up to four years before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This smells like bourbon on the nose with hints of caramel, vanilla, oak, and a dollop of maple syrup. The palate has a thick winter spice vibe with dusty cinnamon and eggnog-heavy nutmeg with a creamy edge next to vanilla tobacco with a whisper of cedar humidor. That spice really amps up toward the finish with a Red Hot tobacco chew and dry wicker finish.
Bottom Line:
This is nice. That said, I always forget this on the shelf. At the end of the day, Id mix this into a highball with good fizzy water or ginger ale.
Also Check: What Drinks To Mix With Rum
Blue Note Crossroads Straight Bourbon
Average Price:$41
The Whiskey:
This is the same bourbon as above but finished in toasted French oak. Those barrels are blended in Memphis and proofed down to a little higher proof, allowing more of that toasted barrel to shine through.
Tasting Notes:
That oak comes through on the nose with a mix of dry cedar and resin-heavy pine as more standard notes of toffee, vanilla, and cherry shine. The palate largely follows that path with the mid-palate leaning into dried fruit and more of a dry tobacco leaf. The finish is short and sweet with a dry woodiness thats part old cedar box and part moldy wicker deck furniture with a hint of hot mulled wine.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskeys where you sip it and say, yeah, thats nice and then kind of forget it exists. Its fine, just not overly enticing.
A Smith Bowman Cask Strength 10
Average Price:$100
The Whiskey:
This release from Sazerac is all about the boldness of the Virginia spirit. The juice is from a few hand-selected 10-year-old barrels from Master Distiller Brian Prewitt from the lowest ricks in warehouses A and A1 at the A. Smith Bowman Distillery. The juice is vatted and then bottled as is, at what is clearly an extremely high cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Im not going to lie, the ethanol is absolutely there on the nose. But it doesnt overpower the deeply-rooted flavors starting with buttery pie crust thats well toasted leading towards a few layers of toasted and honeyed pecans, dark Karo syrup-soaked brown sugar, and toasted off, dark spice-filled streusel. The spice really leans into woody cinnamon sticks, plenty of old leather pouches that held decades of tobacco, dry cedar bark ripped from the woodpile, and the creamy vanilla base and toasted coconut from a coconut cream pie. That creamy mid-palate leads towards a very dry and charred finish thats cut with bitter espresso oils and the darkest of chocolates that turns into a burnt caramel sweet/bitter heat that torches you down to your soul.
Bottom Line:
Again, this really is good with a lot of ice or in a cocktail. That said, sipping this neat might turn you off whiskey forever because that heat is a lot.
You May Like: Might Be Water Might Be Vodka
Wl Weller William Larue Weller 2020 Antique Collection
Average Price:$800
The Whiskey:
This wheated whiskey from 2008 eschews the more common rye and adds in North Dakota wheat. The juice is then barreled and stored in two warehouses where 73 percent of the whiskey is lost to the angels. Finally, the whiskey is bottled untouched and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes:
Theres soft bourbon vanilla that leads towards almond-encrusted toffees inside a pine box with a dark chocolate bonbon hidden somewhere inside all that nutty toffee. The sip leans into a cherry and dark chocolate bespeckled ice cream with a solid vanilla bean base and a dusting of crushed-up walnuts and maybe even peanut. The end is slightly dry and leans more towards cedar and straw with spicy cherry tobacco buzz.
Bottom Line:
Its shocking that this has a higher ABV than absinthe. This dram is so well-rounded, soft, and enjoyable thats kind of dangerous. This is perfect bourbon its hard to find a single thing to fault. Yes, its expensive and hard to find. But this is the only bottle that I truly believe is worth a mega-inflated price tag.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.
What Is Blanton’s Bourbon
Blanton’s Bourbon is a well-known, highly acclaimed, American Whiskey.
As with over 90% of Bourbon’s, Blanton’s Bourbon is produced in the good ol’ U.S bluegrass state of Kentucky. Launched in 1984, Master Distiller, Elmer. T Lee was challenged with the task of producing a stellar bourbon, of premium quality, that other bourbon’s would find hard to compete with.
Having had a long career as a respected American Whiskey distiller, Elmer. T. Lee looked back on his many mentor’s and found himself thinking about how much knowledge he had acquired from Colonel Blanton, and hence the name Blanton’s was adopted as the signature brand for this new premium bourbon, .
Since then, Blanton’s Bourbon has become an award-winning, highly respected bourbon winning over 30 awards including the latest, their 2019 Gold Medal at the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition.
Gaining this reputation has forged a popularity that has made Blanton’s Bourbon one of the most in demand, hardest to find, bourbon’s in the the United States.
Read Also: What Do You Mix With Tequila
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 !
Whether You Believe Blanton’s Is Overrated It’s Definitely Tough To Find
Blantons As an FYI, I bought and use these Glencairn glasses for everything : Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass Set of 6, Set of 4, Set of 2, or just one.Full transparency, this is an affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
Before we get started, Im going to tell you how I think about Blantons substitutes, because there are multiple options.
Since theres a lot of bourbon out there, Im adding additional criteria to narrow down the list.
Only bourbonUnder $70Not / minimally allocatedIve reviewed it
Read Also: How Much Is Amsterdam Vodka
Demand Outnumbers Single Barrel Bourbon Supply
Blanton’s Bourbons are rare because the demand for this single barrel bourbon far outnumbers supply. Blanton prides itself on quality over quantity, meaning Buffalo Trace Distillery, who now manage Blanton’s, can only produce minute quantities at a given period.
Although the availability has grown since 2013, the distillery has refused to specify how much, only saying “we just can’t create enough”. Collector demand has skyrocketed, and as a result, Blanton’s quickly sells out, often with a waiting list of customers awaiting the next release.
Why Blanton’s Bourbon Is So Popular
Winning over 30 awards, and gaining a reputation as a premium bourbon is not the only reason Blanton’s Bourbon is so popular.
The taste of Blanton’s is what brings bourbon lover’s back to Blanton’s. A high percentage of rye gives Blanton’s Bourbon it’s spicy kick, and the barrels are charred longer than most, giving the drink a deep amber color and richer flavor than many of its competitors.
You May Like: Is Blanco Tequila The Same As Silver
Sazerac Rye Thomas H Handy Sazerac 2020 Antique Collection
Average Price:$799
The Whiskey:
This is the youngest release from last years Antique Collection. The juice only spends six years and two months in the barrel. Those barrels live in three warehouses on three different floors. The final blend is unfiltered and bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
This is floral from the top, with stone fruit and cherry lightness. A velvet nature greets you on the sip as classic rye spices cinnamon, anise warm your senses with a slight honey sweetness lurking in the background. The end is brief and full of those floral touches with peppery rye and a final flourish of pine resin.
Bottom Line:
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Sazerac Rye. If Im not in the mood for rye, these expressions always fall flat on my palate. Then, if Im hankering for non-MGP rye with a more nuanced mash bill than 95 percent rye, these tend to be what I reach for. That being said, of all my bottles from Buffalo Trace, these are the dustiest and fullest.
Buy Blantons Original Bourbon Whiskey
Buy Blantons Original Bourbon Online and get this bourbon whiskey where ever you are in the world. We deliver worldwide and also offer overnight delivery in case of urgency.
However, this single barrel bourbon, taken from the middle sections of Blantons Warehouse H, was once the preserve of ambassadors, dignitaries and friends and family of Colonel Blanton himself. More so, now accessible to everyone, Blantons Original Single Barrel is create from a sour mash of corn, rye and malted barley.
Spicy dried citrus fruits and orange peel on the nose, with a hint of caramel and vanilla. The palate is full and soft, burnt sugar and caramel mixing with orange and cloves. The finish is a delightful balance of vanilla, honey and citrus.
Please note: the wax seals around Blantons corks are prone to cracking. Please be aware that this may happen in transit, but the liquid inside will not be affected.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Most Expensive Whiskey In The United States
The Depot John C Fremont Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Average Price:Limited Availability
The Whiskey:
This Nevada whiskey is made with local sustainable grains. The whiskey is then aged in small, 10-gallon barrels under the hot Nevada sun for four years before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes :
The result is a sublime whiskey: notes of vanilla, oak, honey, and a touch of cinnamon spice.
Bottom Line:
This sounds interesting, I guess. Id definitely look it up if I was in Reno but am not going out of my way to find it otherwise.
Where Can I Buy Blanton’s Bourbon
Because all Buffalo Trace Distillery bourbons are allocated and there isn’t a widely understood rhyme or reason to how those products wind up where they wind up, the short answer is this: no one knows. Generally, Blanton’s will not be readily available at any liquor store in America, and if it is on the shelf often its price is likely marked up significantly. Your best bet at landing a bottle is to build a relationship with your local liquor store: talk to the employees, ask questions and inquire about allocated product delivery. We find this approach more successful in the long run than one based upon cold calling numerous area liquor stores and asking about Blanton’s inventory.
Also Check: What Do You Mix Captain Morgan Spiced Rum With
William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Average Price:$2,195
The Whiskey:
Distilled back in the fall of 2009, this barrel-strength bourbon skips the Minnesota rye and instead uses North Dakota wheat with that NoDak barley and Kentucky corn. The juice spent 12-and-a-half years mellowing in warehouses C, D, K, L, and Q on floors one through three. While maturing, 64 percent of the whiskey was lost to the angels before it was small-batched and bottled as is.
Tasting Notes:
The creaminess of the vanilla on the nose is extraordinary. Imagine the softness and richest crème anglaise with a touch of salted caramel syrup, eggnog spice, and a towering croquembouche with all the spun hard sugar holding the whole thing together. That light yet buttery cream puff drives towards a slight shortbread vibe with toasted cinnamon sticks, moist cherry tobacco, more vanilla cream, and a soft echo of dried smoked stone fruits. The finish drives back towards the sweetness of that salted caramel but this time its covered in dark chocolate and sitting inside an old cedar box that once held fistfuls of menthol-laced tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
This, like Old Fitzgerald, blows away a lot of the competition on this list. Going back to the opening point of these medals being like nominations, this is likely to win best in show. Its really that good.
Single Oak Project Barrel #192
Average Price:$69
The Whiskey:
This was a fascinating set of whiskeys. The project started with finding the perfect barrel to age the perfect whiskey. That meant forest stewardship and sourcing specific oak from the Ozarks to build 192 unique barrels with varying levels of toasting and charring or some combination of the two. The whiskeys were then aged for various times and all eventually released and tasted by 5,645 people .
Turns out Barrel #80 was the prime spot. Thats whats being replicated for a 2025 release.
Tasting Notes:
I didnt get to taste barrel #80. I did get to taste the last release, Barrel #192, which is a very different whiskey than the one picked as the best. It was a wheated bourbon instead of a high-rye one, though the barrel had the same char level and was stored in the same location. Still, there were classic Buffalo Trace notes of caramel, cherry, vanilla, and distinct soft woods. The overall taste was a balancing act between the fruit and sweeter notes with the mild spices and rich tobacco with a vanilla backbone.
Bottom Line:
Its really hard to say which of these are floating around on the secondary market. 192 single barrels does mean a lot of whiskeys went into the world, so you might get lucky. Otherwise, youre going to have to hold tight until 2025 when this is released to a wider audience.
Don’t Miss: Can I Order Vodka Online