Blanton's Straight From the Barrel

This bourbon gets a 5, but a "soft" 5 (if that makes any sense), in my book. Blanton's Straight from the Barrel is the forbidden fruit, or at least the far-away fruit, in the Blanton's lineup -- available only overseas and not in the United States. This bourbon has a dark, almost cloudy, russet, clay-like color. Dark, sticky fruits, and chewy raisins and craisins, stand out immediately on the nose. Behind that, there's a clear and harmonious combination of vanilla and caramel. As a younger whiskey, Blanton's has less oakiness than older bourbons like Elijah Craig Barrel Proof on the nose, although there is a scent reminiscent of pencil shavings some of the time. Whole peppercorns round out the strong start. This bourbon drinks well below its proof, but lacks the complexity of the finest barrel-strength releases from other distilleries, or from the older products from Buffalo Trace itself. Unlike the nose, the palate is heavy on the dry side, with cedar and oak woodiness abounding from the first sip onward. There's more honey than caramel in this barrel. The vanilla from the nose carries over well to the palate, but those dark, sticky fruits or dried fruits are nowhere to be found (at least for me). The smokiness of Blanton's, from the barrel char, is stronger than other barrel-proof bourbons. The texture is oily, rich, and buttery. Compared to the nose, I once again get a surprising amount of oak on the swallow, along with cloves and rye spice. The combination of cinnamon and creaminess is reminiscent of eggnog. The spice dominates the back-end, which doesn't exhibit the harmony of the first two phases. At $100, this is one of the most expensive bottles of bourbon I've ever purchased. However, it's not the best. With Blanton's, the intangible factors add significantly to the enjoyment. By that, I mean the beautiful bottle and the fact that this bourbon isn't even available in the U.S., which adds to its cool factor. But, on taste alone, I'd happily grab a bottle of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof or Four Roses Private Selection for $70-80 (and grab a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 with the savings!).