Exploring the history of Blanton’s means exploring the history of bourbon from the 20th century to today. It means exploring its moments of grace and disgrace and their close connections with the social and cultural developments experienced by the United States during this time. We look back at the epic story of Blanton’s and the invention of the first American single barrel, whose 40th anniversary arrives this year.
Albert B. Blanton
The famous Blanton’s bourbon is named after Colonel Albert Bacon Blanton. Blanton held the honorary title of Kentucky Colonel not for military service but in recognition of services to his community, the State and the nation.
Albert B. Blanton was born on 28 February 1881 on a tobacco farm near the Buffalo Trace distillery, then called the O.F.C. Distillery. His destiny soon became enmeshed with the site, where he began working as a clerk in 1897, aged just 16. In 1912 he was made superintendent and in 1921 President of the distillery, which had since become the George T. Stagg Distillery. Blanton officially retired in 1943 but continued to manage business affairs at the distillery up until his death in 1959.
Blanton’s time at the George T. Stagg Distillery was marked by his determination and sharp business mind. It was thanks to these qualities that the distillery was able to survive difficult periods such as Prohibition (1921-1933). Indeed, it was Blanton who managed to negotiate a government licence for the distillery under the 1922 Liquor Concentration Act so it could continue to produce whiskey for medicinal purposes during the ban. Later, in 1937, Kentucky and the surrounding areas were hit by terrible flooding. Blanton’s tenacity made it possible for production to start up again just 24 hours after the catastrophe. Under his direction, the distillery also made it through the Great Depression and produced pure alcohol for military purposes during the Second World War.
Bourbon in freefall
After WWII, consumerism was booming in the United States and bourbon was in vogue. In the 60s, with the average age of Americans at just 30, however, thing suddenly changed. The baby boomers, now teenagers and young adults, began developing a counter-culture that broke away from the habits of their parents and grandparents, starting with the hippie movement that fiercely questioned the consumerist society. This new era triggered a decline in bourbon’s popularity among young people.
As the hippie subculture grew, so sales of whiskey declined year on year, with boomers turning to alternatives such as vodka, gin, wine and Scotch. In response to this, the whiskey industry called on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to modify the definition of bourbon and rye. The goal was to distil these beverages at a higher strength and use second-hand casks for shorter ageing to create a lighter whiskey better suited to the tastes of this new generation. The Bureau refused to yield, fearing the categories would become too similar and instead an alternative category was created: light whiskey. This new category failed to take off, however, and, although bourbon was doing well abroad (in Japan especially), 37 distilleries in Kentucky closed between 1970 and 1980
Innovating through the past
The following years were pivotal for the George T. Stagg Distillery. In 1983, it was bought by a consortium of investors led by Ferdie A. Falk and Robert C. Baranaskas. After this, Falk and Baranaskas convinced plant manager and master distiller Elmer T. Lee to stay on at the distillery instead of taking his scheduled retirement. Baranaskas tasked Lee with developing a product that would be completely new to the bourbon industry. And so the first bourbon bottled from just one cask was born: Blanton’s Single Barrel, launched in 1984. The concept came in tribute to the late Colonel Blanton who would occasionally select a barrel from the Center Cut of Warehouse H and have it bottled for his personal use or as a gift for family, friends or dignitaries. In 1992, the Sazerac Company bought Leestown Co and the George T. Stagg Distillery after making a deal with the Japanese group Takara Shuzo. However, although Sazerac owned the distillery, which was renamed Buffalo Trace in 1999, rights to the Blanton’s brand were kept by Takara Shuzo.
Warehouse H is a key detail in the production of Blanton’s. After Prohibition was repealed in 1933, production increased and Colonel Blanton decided to build a new warehouse in order to stock more barrels. To make construction faster, he chose metal façades for the building instead of walls made from brick or stone. As time went on, Blanton realized that this material increased the temperature differences in the warehouse, leading the bourbon to age differently due to the interaction between the spirit and barrel. For Blanton, it was in the Center Cut (the row just above the middle of the warehouse) of Warehouse H that the least temperature variations were found, offering the best conditions for ageing. Decades later, thanks to these subtle technical differences, Blanton’s has become one of the most sought after whiskies on the planet.
(Very) rare and (highly) sought-after series
Since then, numerous limited series of Blanton’s have been released, some for specific markets and/or exclusively for specific distributors. Of the most highly prized, the editions bottled for La Maison du Whisky now fetch between £2,000 and £5,000 at auction. The most recent editions double or triple their price in just a few months or even days after their release. Editions bottled for Japan, such as Memory of Yūjirō, and bottlings to mark the 30th anniversary of the brand and the 100th anniversary of Tezuka, easily reach prices of £1,000 on the secondary market, the latter in particular, due to its release in the very rare 50 cl format. The Silver Editions, bottled at 49% ABV (between Blanton’s Original and Blanton’s Gold Edition) and discontinued in 2009, now go for as much as £2,000.
Tasting notes
Blanton’s Of. 2021 Collection Warehouse H - Barrel No. 329 - LMDW Exclusive 50%:
A Blanton’s selected by La Maison du Whisky to celebrate its 65th anniversary.
Colour: golden yellow.
Nose: powerful, spicy. The first sequences on the nose reveal this Blanton’s spicy (grey pepper) and rich (chocolate) powdery character. This is then enriched with notes of coffee, orangette and ginger. The second nose is tinged with hot notes that add additional character.
Palate: invigorating, sweet. The deeply fresh attack creates a connection with the nose through its powdery notes of ginger. Gradually, it then travels down bitter (dark chocolate) and rich (vanilla) paths. Black fruits appear at the end of the palate.
Finish: taut, moving. The first notes are woody. Latte coffee then appears, softening the tension on the finish. Citrus fruits (clementine, orange, grapefruit) bring juiciness. The after-taste is herbaceous (aniseed, gentian).
This very harmonious Blanton’s is perfectly well-balanced. Its bitter and spicy notes have forged a deeply ingrained character.
Blanton’s Of. Warehouse H Straight from the Barrel - Barrel No. 135 - Dumped 2008 65%:
The Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel series was created in 2002 at the request of La Maison du Whisky’s CEO Thierry Bénitah, who felt certain a cask strength edition would be a hit. Barrel No. 135 was bottled in 2008.
Colour: amber.
Nose: deep, ethereal. Aromas of newspaper sheets highlight the nose’s old-school style. The whiskey is filled with incredible finesse, especially present in its floral notes (lavender, rose). A beautiful layer of exoticism (passion fruit) then adds the details to the backdrop of the aroma palette. The second nose is earthy.
Palate: full-bodied, intoxicating. The floral notes on the attack (rose, violet) are deeply heady. The mid-palate focuses on a wonderful creaminess, marked by notes of coffee and chocolate. A note of pepper then slips into the flavour palette. The end of the palate is slightly woody (virgin oak). Aniseed emerges once allowed to breathe.
Finish: fresh, rich. The finish opens with a vanilla sequence. Next, coriander notes evoke the earlier floral sequences. Clementine and orangette flavours then take over, with the retro-nasal olfaction guiding us to the warmth of a green tea. Aeration reveals liquorice.
Despite the high ABV, this bottling stands out for its ethereal profile and floral notes. Outstanding!
