Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Bourbon Review

By Kurt Maitland

Rating: A

Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel is the brand’s third extension. When it was first introduced in the early 2000s, it was an export and travel retail product. This cask strength version of the original single barrel bourbon had to wait almost twenty years before it became available through regular domestic retail channels, if only in theory.

The Bourbon

Color: Old gold

Nose: Rich honey, vanilla, chocolate, with a slightly floral finish

Taste: Creamy, almost buttery with a prominent mix of honey, vanilla, chocolate and tobacco notes.

Finish: This release has a long finish, with a heated middle and a fruity apricot end

This 6 year old was from the export only uncut/unfiltered release days, and initially crafted for the French market. 63.5% or 127 proof. This can vary between 127 and 140 proof, depending on the bottle you are pouring from. My only issue with this release is that it isn’t available in the US. It’s hard to improve on a classic like Blanton’s but this release needs to find its way, even as a limited release, to some US stores.

The Price
The market value of Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel is currently $284. The recommended price is $160.