Tastes

Appearance is rich and glossy, the coloring an orange-gold with a blushing of deep red. Smell is fruity brambleberries commingling with herbaceous mint, as if walking in tranquil woods. Keep walking (smelling)... Boozy oak vanillins, woodsy spice and honey issue forth. Sugary frosting too. Taste replicates the nose. Finishes sweet & spicy. A cooling after-finish drapes over the palate, not like mint, but akin to citrus oil, a balm feel. The body is medium. Fluid yet has enough chewy thickness. Overall this booze is an "Everyman's Bar Bourbon", a time tested classic taken down from the shelf to remember why it is you love the art that is quality drink. There might be a few better bourbons once you get deeper in the experience game, (pricey $100+ range e.g.) but think of Blanton's as legend that only got topped a few times because of future rivals being inspired by said booze and trying to top it.

Appearance is sunset orange, full of bright-amber light. Not a red-brown amber, but an orange-gold-brown look. Nose entices with caramel, mint, vanilla, evergreen, sweet plum, buttery-creamy fig pudding and raisin. Taste equals the afore, but the fruitiness is strengthened, with berry additions added. Strong plum. This bottle gets citrusy with aeration/bottle space. Mouth feel is medium-heavy. Thick but not syrupy. Vanilla, booze, dry spice all create a sweet-sting that drifts into minty, rye-sting with tobacco airs. Overall, this is a sweeter rye. My go to dessert spirit. Digestif 101. It's a definite rye, but on the sweet side. You won't get dry spice burn then mint finish like classic examples. It's plum pudding with a mint sprig. Try it.