Blanton's Single Barrel Black Edition

Pale yellow, slightly thick with thin legs. Initial aroma is of grain, possibly corn. Very faint. Bourbon? Highly atypical; this is not bourbon. Light whiskey? It has a strong ethanol presence, and no light whiskey is young in today's market. Could involve barrel finishing. Overwhelming sweetness, almost sickly, with a touch of mustiness. Floral scents, almond essence, crushed clove, pepper, shoe polish, tart green apple, and sharp (French?) oak. A hint of old books is present but overwhelmed. Based on its color and smell, I'm guessing grain whisky instead of bourbon or malt. Remarkable. It doesn't burn at all. I expected a high-proof light whiskey, over 130, but I don't think so. This seems to be some kind of non-US, single grain whisky... I believe. Feels light, clean. Hints of corn syrup, white wine, French oak, vanilla, lavender, and cooked apples. There might be some white pepper, perhaps a faint hint of German licorice, but it's not very spicy. The finish mirrors the rest of the drink – light yet intensely sweet with a clear mustiness. I'm struggling to pinpoint this. If it was finished, I'm leaning towards new French oak or a type of dessert wine (ice wine, Tokaji, etc.), and less likely cognac, though I've been mistaken about cognac finishes before. Age? It could be 17-22 years old (around 20), especially if it's a single grain whisky. Time to see if a friend can assist me, as they kindly shared this unusual dram. No. Absolutely not. This is both expected and disappointing. For a brief moment at the start, I thought it was sweet and fruity enough to resemble a diluted Buffalo Trace product, but I couldn't recall one that was so corn-forward. I should remember not to dilute bourbon ever again. Also, we appreciate Japan. I don't know who sent you this, but we can certainly do better. Truly, we owe you one.

I've been fortunate with this brand recently, as a relative kindly brought back a bottle of the Black edition from Japan after a trip. It's bottled at a very low alcohol content of 40%, but features a very attractive black label with writing in Japanese. These bottles seem to be priced above $250 online, but they were able to get one for about $63 in Japan. Let's open this one and see if it surpasses the original. The aroma begins with a very faint caramel and a whisper of oak spice, followed by notes of apple juice and orange zest, transitioning to a subtle spice alongside ginger, cloves, nutmeg, leather, and light oak, with no alcohol sting. The taste has a mouthfeel that is almost thin like water, starting with a light caramel and mild oak spice, followed by notes of apple juice and orange zest, then vanilla seeds, a gentle pepper spice that fades to faint barrel spices of ginger, cloves, nutmeg, leather, and light oak, with a slight alcohol burn. The finish is brief, with notes of caramel apple, chocolate, orange zest, vanilla seeds, ginger, cloves, and light oak spice. I found the original single barrel version of this brand to have muted notes, but this is even less pronounced. The aroma is so faint that the notes are hard to discern beyond some light citrus and barrel char, and the palate doesn't improve this, tasting more like caramel-flavored water with a splash of fruit juices, some common spices, and a piece of wood on top. The finish is short with light fruit, chocolate, and barrel spices that become spicier and more drying than the original. It's not surprising that this isn't worth the resale prices, as I doubt anything truly is, but I wouldn't even want another one of these for $63. It's as if the distiller decided to emulate another brand and make their offering for the Japanese market similar to another specific expression.

Aroma - cherry, menthol, caramel, vanilla, buttery cinnamon, cocoa, black pepper, mint, barrel char, orange zest, anise, with a mild to moderate ethanol burn. Flavor - salted caramel, vanilla, cherry, orange zest, black pepper, cocoa, cinnamon, menthol, sour apple, a mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing short with cherry, caramel, and sour barrel spice notes. Since I've run out of other Japanese whiskies to review, I decided this limited Japanese release from Blanton's would be the next best thing. And what better way to make it more like a Japanese whisky than to strip out all its character? The aroma is faint compared to its standard-strength counterpart. It has caramel, that signature Blanton's cherry note, some cinnamon, and a lot of menthol. The palate is unpleasantly thin and mentholated, with more cherry, sour oak spice, and a citrusy orange zest flavor. Unfortunately, when cherry and menthol notes are combined, I'm always reminded of cough syrup, and nobody wants cough syrup in their Blanton's. So, this tastes exactly as I'd expect your bottle of Blanton's to taste if your teenager was left home alone for a weekend. Fortunately, there's a quality distillate beneath this disaster, but it's a disaster nonetheless. If you happen to be in Japan, grab a bottle for $60 and make your thirsty friends even thirstier. But please, don't spend $250 on the secondary market to get one. The third option is to have an incredibly generous friend gift you a bottle. A big thanks to a friend who was that generous. At least it looks nice on the shelf.

Why does Blanton's Black receive such criticism? It's an 80 proof bourbon... one must approach the taste with the understanding that it won't deliver a full-bodied, cask strength experience. If the flavors are present, even if subtle and somewhat muted, and the bourbon is easy to drink, doesn't that achieve the intended purpose? The aroma of Blanton's Black is primarily characterized by sweet caramel, almost smelling like a dessert. A hint of underlying vanilla is detectable, and the nose concludes with a swift and distinct note of cinnamon. Brown sugar and caramel dissolve slowly on the palate, mingling with a touch of vanilla and sweet baking spices. The taste is exceptionally sweet, bordering on excessively so. As the finish begins, a hint of rye spice and the cinnamon from the nose carry away the sweetness. You're left with a subtle salted caramel sensation mid-palate as the finish gradually fades. Blanton's Black lacks the oily texture and lingering quality of other bottlings, for obvious reasons: this one is bottled at 80 proof. However, it is sweet, enjoyable, and easy to drink. If you have friends who are new to whiskey or bourbon and asking for recommendations, this would be a great introductory bourbon for them (assuming it wasn't so incredibly rare in the US, that is). Nearly every negative review I've encountered for Blanton's Black compares it directly to Single Barrel. My assessment is based solely on the bourbon's own merits, not in comparison to its more complex counterparts. By that standard: this is a superb, sweet, and agreeable bourbon. Delicious.

This bottle found its way back from Japan via a fellow bourbon enthusiast, lucky for me! SMELL: Prominent oak and vanilla extract lead the aroma, with a subtle baking spice attempting to emerge. TASTE: Flat cola and spicy honey are upfront, complemented by hints of orange zest and caramel chews in the background. FINISH: Bold flavor and a mild burn appear immediately, sustaining through the sip before fading swiftly, leaving a desire for more. MOUTHFEEL: Light and clean, with a fleeting hint of oil; well-balanced. OVERALL: Thoroughly enjoyed it; even at standard proof, it delivers significant flavor. Another success from Blantons. Keep enjoying your drinks, everyone! Cheers!

The aroma is quite soft with caramel and a touch of gingerbread, then it immediately fades on the taste with a diluted flavor. It slightly recovers with some brighter caramel than on the nose. The finish is short and consists of charred caramel. It's very one-dimensional. Don't worry if you can't find it, you're not missing out. If it were priced around $25 and easy to find, it would be a good introductory bourbon.