Blantons - Special Reserve 70cl Bottle

Colour: Copper amber. Nose: Consistent, reveals cereal notes, spices and citrus fruits. Palate: The light mouth confirms the nose. Finish: Spiced (clove). To note, according to the barrels, the aromatic expression of Blanton's can vary appreciably. Blanton's was the first ever Single Barrel Bourbon in the world, and it set the standards for others to follow. This fantastic product was named after the late Colonel Albert Bacon Blanton (1881-1959), who managed the largest distillery of its day. It was during that time that he created a very special and limited supply of bourbon, which he hand-picked and stored in what now is known as the famous Warehouse H. Blanton's Original Single Barrel Bourbon is aged in one new American oak barrel for at least 8 years, unlike most
others, never blended with any other bourbon. When a barrel is believed to have reached its optimum age, it is evaluated by the Master Distiller and a panel of professional tasters. There is no margin for error, because there is no way to compensate for flavour by mixing with any other liquid. The barrels that have been chosen are then dumped and bottled. From the beginning to end, making Blanton's is a labour intensive process. Grains: Blanton's is made by using the finest Kentucky and Indiana corn, selected rye, and superior malted barley. Grains must be carefully milled (crushed) to exactly the right specifications. The milled corn is added to the pressure cooker with Kentucky limestone water. When the corn and the lime stone water reach the right temperature, it is time to
add the rye and the barley malt, which breaks down starch into sugar. Yeast is added after the mash has cooled. Blanton's, at this point, undergoes a natural fermentation lasting from three to five days and becomes beer. This beer is transferred to a still. The steam that is pumped from the bottom of the still interacts with the falling beer, creating an alcohol-rich vapour. The vapour is condensed and passed through a second still, known as the doubler, to produce a crystal clear liquid. The liquid is placed into newly charred, virgin white oak barrels. To be called Bourbon, it must meet the following specifications: 1. Be stored in newly charred oak barrels 2. Be stored at least two years (if less than two years it must state on the label) 3. Can't have colour or
flavour added 4. Barrels can be used only once (most used barrels are sold to Scotch or other non-bourbon malers). These full barrels now weighing 500-plus pounds, are placed in century old warehouse H and left for six to eight, but no more than ten, years. Only the Master Distiller can tell the right time to bring Blanton's out of the warehouse for dumping. When the Master Distiller selects the barrels, they are brought to the bottling house to be bottled. Blanton's has the most labour intensive bottling line in the bourbon business. The process is all by hand: hand filled, hand sealed (stopper and wax), and hand applied label, hand numbered (each and every bottle).