Blanton Original Single Barrel

Blanton's Original Single Barrel is a Kentucky bourbon bottled at 46.5% ABV. Each bottle comes from one individual barrel rather than a blend of many, so two bottles from different barrels can differ in small ways. The reference material says the barrels are aged in the best locations of the warehouse, and it describes the whiskey as full-bodied. Bourbon by law is made from at least 51% corn and aged in new charred oak, so expect the usual style markers: caramel and vanilla from the char, baking-spice warmth, and a sweetness that comes from the corn. Single barrel bourbons in this range often add notes of orange peel, light nutmeg or cinnamon, and a gently drying oak finish. Treat these as what the style leads you to expect, not a measured profile of this bottling. At 46.5%, it holds its structure well when sipped neat, and that is the best way to learn how a particular barrel behaves. Pour about an ounce or two into a Glencairn and let it sit for a minute before nosing. The tapered bowl gathers the vanilla, oak and spice aromas that a wider glass would let escape. If the alcohol feels sharp on first sip, a few drops of room-temperature water will loosen the aromatics and soften the heat without flattening the flavor. A rocks glass with one large cube suits slower sipping, since a big cube melts slowly and the dilution stays gradual. Small ice chills the pour quickly and can mute the sweeter notes. In cocktails, the full body and moderate proof mean it holds its place against bitters and vermouth. An Old Fashioned made with a sugar cube or a teaspoon of rich syrup, two dashes of Angostura and an orange peel lets the caramel and spice come through. In a Manhattan, stir two parts bourbon with one part sweet vermouth and a couple of dashes of bitters. The corn sweetness makes it a softer, rounder Manhattan than the usual rye version. A Whiskey Sour, with fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and an optional egg white, shows the oak and vanilla well against the acidity. For a Highball, pour over plenty of ice and top with soda water or a dry ginger ale, using a lemon wedge to keep it from tasting too sweet. Since this is a single barrel bottling, many drinkers like to pour it neat first and save the cocktails for a second bottle. If you do mix with it, keep the recipes simple so the barrel's character stays audible.