Blantons Straight from the Barrel

I’m a sucker for cask-strength anything. Scotch. Bourbon. Everclear. Load up the fat and pour that sucker in my glass. I love the rawness. This one gives me exactly what I’m looking for. There are some out there, however, who criticize this for being not as well balanced as what they would want for a bourbon – often complaining of it’s heat. I say to the moon with them. This beast is what it’s all about. An edgy bourbon that gives no fucks, is completely inconsistent from barrel to barrel, and punches you in the mouth with flavor? Sign me up twice. This is what non-age-statement (or hell any) bourbons should be. Raw, full flavored, and powerful. Not holding back. Not trying to be more than what it is. Just simply letting the distilling and barrel do the talking. This is simply awesome.

Bottle Info

Distillery: Buffalo Trace

Barrel type: bourbon

Age: No Age Statement

ABV: 63.95

How this was acquired: auction

Cost: $92

Year purchased: 2017

Tasting Notes

Nose: oak, creme brule, werther’s original, toblerone, almond, caramel, caramelized sugar, wood sugars. It’s like smelling pure cake frosting

Nose[water]: sap, syrup, aunt jamima’s syrup – the overly sugared kind - the non-real maple syrup - not at all in a bad way, cake frosting, a maple glazed donut from Do-Rite donuts with a strip of bacon down the center. sugar and spice.

Taste: sugars, caramelized sugar, ooey-gooey butter cake, sugar cookies, frosting, cake, vanilla, caramel, bit of vermouth, hot spice. krispy-kreme donuts.

Taste[water]: more frosting, sugar and spice, creme, nougat, toblerone, cookie, a bit of thyme.

Finish: sugary, caramel, buttery sweet cookie, toffee.

Finish[water]: just continues the taste with a bit of water, long lasting cake frosting, chocolate, brownies.

Binary Score: 1

Value Notes

Would I buy this (or if already bought, would you buy this again): Yes

Would I order this in a bar: Yes

Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Yes

Value For Money: 5/5

My Scoring System

0 | I didn’t like it | It doesn’t mean you won’t

1 | I liked it | It doesn’t mean you will