Blanton's

In 1984, master distiller Elmer T. Lee revolutionised the American whiskey industry when he introduced Blanton's, the world's first commercial single-barrel bourbon – named in honour of Colonel Albert B. Blanton, who started out in 1897 at just 16 years old as a lowly office clerk at the George T. Stagg Distillery (today's Buffalo Trace) and rose to become the distillery's president by 1921.

Blanton kept the tradition of hand-selecting "honey barrels" from the heart of Warehouse H for guests and his own enjoyment – it was exactly this practice that inspired Elmer T. Lee to create the commercial brand. With Blanton's Original, you will find the bottling that carries this tradition forward today in our selection.

Was Colonel Blanton actually a distiller or a manager?

Albert B. Blanton began his career in 1897 as a 16-year-old office clerk at the George T. Stagg Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Over the years, he worked his way through virtually every department of the distillery, gaining hands-on knowledge of every aspect of whiskey production. In 1921, at the age of 40, he was finally promoted to president of the distillery – a position he held until his retirement in 1952. Blanton was thus primarily a manager and host, not the distillery's actual master distiller.

How did this lead to the world's first single-barrel bourbon brand?

As a host, Colonel Blanton had the habit of personally selecting exceptional "honey barrels" from the heart of Warehouse H for visitors and special occasions, bottling them one barrel at a time. Master distiller Elmer T. Lee, nearing his own retirement, made exactly this practice the inspiration for Blanton's in 1984 – the world's first modern single-barrel bourbon brand. Each bottle comes from a single individual barrel, with no blending with other barrels, and carries details of the barrel number, warehouse, and even its rack position. Warehouse H remains the only metal-clad warehouse at Buffalo Trace to this day.

The most popular bottling at a glance

1. Blanton's Original
The base bottling of the world's first single-barrel bourbon brand.
Taste: Full-bodied and balanced, with caramel, vanilla, and subtle oak spice.
Serving suggestion: Neat or with a drop of water to open up all its nuances.

Facts and figures

First release: 1984, master distiller Elmer T. Lee. Namesake: Colonel Albert B. Blanton (president 1921-1952). Maturation: 8-25 years, Warehouse H. Owner: Buffalo Trace Distillery (Sazerac).