Blanton’s Gold is a higher proofed version of Blanton’s that is only available in International markets and duty-free outlets (if you are lucky). Truth be told, Blanton’s is my favorite higher end bourbon and pretty much my standard when trying something new. Not necessarily on taste and flavor profile but more along the lines of value and bang for my buck. For example, if I come across a new bourbon that costs $100/bottle, would I rather have a bottle of Blanton’s and a bottle of something else or even a bottle and a half of Blanton’s or would I prefer to spend my money on the new $100 bottle. The Gold version is bottled at 51.5% while the standard version is bottled at 46.5%. The additional 5% makes a huge difference. The bottle is the same, but the label is different. The Gold version has no paper label, and the text is printed in gold directly on the bottle. The Gold version also has a gold colored bottle topper instead of the standard pewter topper that sits on top of the standard release.
Blanton’s Gold Bourbon Review
Name: Blanton’s Gold
Proof: 103
Age: 4 Years
Barrel Number: 115, dumped on 9-1-15. Warehouse H (like all Blanton’s), Rick No. 39. Bottle 147
How I Drank It: Neat, in my buddy’s fancy new crystal rocks glass that he got for a wedding gift
My Nose Noticed: Brown sugar, caramel, some vanilla, Possibly a hint of maple syrup or butterscotch, not much alcohol vapor. I expected more with the proof at 103. I’ve seen bottles of Gold at lower proofs, so I was looking forward to this one being a bit higher proof.
First Sip: There is the alcohol. At first sip, this smells much better than it tastes. It has some heavy oak notes and a nice little burn to it. The finish lasts on both the tip of the tongue as well as the back of the palate for at least 30-45 seconds. All of the amazing smells that were on the nose were not nearly as noticeable as the oak and alcohol on the first sip.
The Burn/Finish: Once I dove back in for my second sip, I gave it the full “Kentucky Chew” treatment and things weren’t that different. There was much more of a burn on the tongue when I coated my entire mouth with it, but not in a bad or unpleasant way. It was more of an alcohol tingle. The oak is still there; it’s up front and not going away.
Neat, Splash or Rocks: I drank this neat. I wouldn’t water this down. Ever.
Share With: Someone who knows and appreciates good bourbon. Especially someone who can understand how hard this bottle is to get.
Worth The Price: I purchased this bottle for $65. It is worth the price. However, the price doesn’t include the trip out of the country that it was purchased on.
Bottle, Bar or Bust: Bottle if you ever come across it in the wild.
Personal Note: In all honesty, I love Blanton’s Gold. It is pretty much my all-time favorite bourbon. It is very hard to get and not available in the US. Most of the bottles that I’ve had were amazing. The problem was that this barrel wasn’t all that great. It was a very good bourbon, but not amazing like most of the other bottles of Blanton’s Gold that I’ve had. Compared to the others, this was by far the worst. But in saying that, it’s still much better than 97% of anything that you can get on the shelves. I am hoping that this barrel (115) was an outlier and not the new standard for Blanton’s Gold. I will be doing a review of a different barrel of Blanton’s Gold in the next few months to compare.
Brent was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in Journalism, he moved back to Indy where he eventually resurrected his family's brand of all beef kosher style hot dogs and opened a restaurant, King David Dogs, in downtown Indianapolis. When he's not juggling the many duties of an entrepreneur, he can usually be found relaxing at home with his wife, their twin boys, and their two dogs. Brent is a member of the Bourbon Society of Indianapolis, a BBQ enthusiast, and a cigar aficionado. Three things that are even better when enjoyed together with good friends. If Brent is not talking about bourbon, he's probably talking about sports, in particular, NFL football and Kansas Jayhawks basketball. You can follow his blog, BBQ and Bourbon here.
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Age 4 years? Where did this fact come from? I have a hard time believing, highly doubt it is only 4 years old…
Wayne,
The age is stated on the bottle. Specifically the date that it was barreled and the date that it was dumped. So, the “fact” that you’re so skeptical of cake from Buffalo Trace.
Thanks for reading Bourbon & Banter!
Brent, excuse me! Glad you can read… dump date I see, barreled I did not…
Brent, I looked at several bottles of Blanton’s from original & Straight From The Barrel… I call Bullship, barrel date not given, guess you cannot read, I can! Apology not required, learn to read! 4 year age is Fake News! Sorry if offended… show barrel date on your bottle!
The age is NOT stated on the bottle. The dump date is when it was bottled. There is no barreled on date on ANY Blanton’s offerings. You can ask B.T. and they will tell you the gold is an older offering than the single barrel (gold is rumored to be 8-12 years). It was crafted for international markets that crave older aged bourbons. You either have a special bottle (doubtful unless you post pictures), are confused or are completely full of shit.
Wayne,
This was a review written in 2016. That bottle is long gone. Blanton’s is 4-6 years old. By law bourbon can only be labeled as to list the youngest possible juice in the bottle. If the barreled date isn’t on the bottle (again, years ago and many bottles in between), I would’ve listed as youngest possible to be safe and as truthful as possible. Especially with so many know it all keyboard tough guys out there trying to troll bourbon bloggers that do this for free on their spare time.
Thanks again for reading Bourbon and Banter!
Brent
The age is NOT stated on the bottle. The dump date is when it was bottled. There is no barreled on date on ANY Blanton’s offerings. You can ask B.T. and they will tell you the gold is an older offering than the single barrel (gold is rumored to be 8-12 years). It was crafted for international markets that crave older aged bourbons. You either have a special bottle (doubtful unless you post pictures), are confused or are completely full of shit.
Haha. Couple of major d*cktards right there trolling the internet hoping to flex their flabby armchair muscles in feeble attempts at giving their lives a delusional purpose. Anyhooo, I appreciate the review Brent and am on the hunt myself for any Blanton’s I may find here in S.E.A. Your review and tasting notes sold me on the gold. Fingers crossed.
I can normally get regular Blantons multiple bottles at a time but never seen a bottl of gold
Blanton’s Green, Black, Silver, Gold & Straight From The Barrel are not sold in the USA excluding secondary market. Japan it is sold & duty free Europe… Google for more! Read Buffalo Trace website(s)
Gold and Barrel are a available at ONE liquor store in downtown St. Thomas USVI, if you are traveling there. I go there once a year and always grab a few bottles of each. Gold sells for $110 and barrel goes for $135.