Blanton's Original
Nozinan Mini and Sample Series - 51
2 187
Review by @Nozinan
- Nose~
- Taste~
- Finish~
- Balance~
- Overall87
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Quite a while back (2016) I picked up some bottles of Blanton’s Gold that were briefly in and out of stores for about a week, 2 for me and 2 for @paddockjudge (he would eventually be the recipient of my spare). My review can be found here:
connosr.com/blantons-gold-edition-whisky-r…
Also early in 2016, in a transaction that brought me a couple of bottles of Benromach 100/10 (one is now history), my brother muled me a couple of MOM 30cc samples of Blanton’s Straight From the Barrel.
Around the time that I got those bottles to @paddockjudge he was kind enough to provide me with this sample (from what he called an exceptional batch), which would be my first taste of the Original expression. Last night, September 2, 2018, I finally got try this and the SFTB in an epic video tasting of three Blanton’s expressions.
This expression is reviewed in my usual manner, in a Kentucky Bourbon Glass, allowing it to settle after which I take my nosing and tasting notes, followed by the addition of a few drops of water, waiting, then nosing and tasting.
Nose: 22/25
Nice, fruity, vanilla, butterscotch. Rich nose.
Taste: 21/25
Spicy. caramel and vanilla. Some cherry. A little hot. Soft on the arrival, then becomes spicy in the development and then the heat kicks in. Water smooths it out a little.
Finish: 22/25
medium, sweet, pleasant.
Balance: 22/25
The nose and the palate complement each other.
Score: 87/100
When tasted after the SFTB, the flavours become a lot thinner. I liked this a lot more BEFORE I tasted the Gold and the SFTB.
Would I buy this whisky? This barrel? Absolutely. Another barrel? Given I have so many bourbons already, I would try before I buy.
If you’re interested in my review of the SFTB, here it is:
connosr.com/blantons-straight-from-the-cas…
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@Nozinan, thanks for your review.
In my very early serious bourbon days I didn't care for any of the Blanton's I had had for the first 2-4 years, in the years 2007-2011. In this case I think that it was mostly due to an evolution in taste that my opinion changed. I think that my tolerance grew for certain of the Blanton's flavours, especially what I perceived as hickory wood, heavy char, and licorice. When my wife's brother gave me a 375 of the Original in about 2012 I thought, "Oh, here he goes again, giving me one of the few whiskeys I don't like!". But that bottle was GREAT, and it effected a total change from my prior reactions to Blanton's. That bottle was so good that it was gone very quickly, a rare occurrence for a bottle of whisk(e)y in our house.
So when I read your score of 87 points for Blanton's Original I think to myself that at one time I would have rated it at 75 points and at another time I did review and rate it at about 93 points.