🥃Alternatives to Blanton's Bourbon

If you're at the store and they didn't have Blanton's in the back, you're in luck. There are three crowd pleasing alternatives that come close to that horsey top goodness.

Infographic comparing blanton's bourbon, ancient age 10 star, and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked to each other

Blanton's sprang into existence in 1984 as the single barrel brainchild of an aging Elmer T. Lee. Drawing inspiration from one of his early career bosses, Colonel Albert B. Blanton, then the president of the distillery, Lee resurrected the concept of the hand picked "Honey barrels" that the former always drew for important guests from the center cut of warehouse H. The warehouse, quickly fabricated in the 1930s out of metal, changed temperature far more rapidly than the traditional brick rickhouses previously used by the distillery. This change in temperature works the whiskey in and out of the barrel wood with greater frequency, accelerating the aging process.

The rest is history. Distinctive Blanton's bottles can be found on many a shelf and both taters and old fans are paying mind boggling amounts for these hallowed bottles. Since it has become so hard to find, we pulled together a list of three possible alternatives for slaking your Buffalo-Blantonian thirst.

Ancient Age 10 Star

Pulled from the same Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2 as Blanton's, this bottom shelf whiskey has earned itself a place in many cabinets. Though it no longer has an age statement and certainly isn't from a single barrel, Ancient Age 10 Star does hold up rather well versus the more expensive and elusive Blanton's in a side by side tasting. Joking but not Joking, you should save your Blanton's Bottle on the shelf with a refill of this. Keep the real juice in the back. Check out this Head to Head between Ancient Age 10 Star and Blanton's that a prolific reddit reviewer put together. I actually agree with the results.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

Also a relatively high rye bourbon at around 18%, Woodford is a close mash bill match to BT#2 and the double oaked variety packs on some extra age to be solidly in the 6-8 year range following it's namesake second barreling. It's a cult classic enjoyed by many and can be readily found at most bulk distributors for around Blanton's MSRP. Check out our review here.

John J Bowman Single Barrel

Of all the alternatives, this one get's the closest to Blanton's. It is also a single barrel whiskey, though it is slightly higher ABV at 100 proof. It's furthermore the exact same distillate made by Buffalo Trace at Buffalo Trace. The juice is sourced from Buffalo Trace by A. Smith Bowman distillery in Fredericksburg, Virginia where it is aged. There is no age statement specified, but sources estimate between 9-10 years of age on average with a minimum of 9 years of age. Total Wine has it for $49.99 regularly in stock. This is one of my preferred picks for a gift bottle under $50. It's basically Blanton's without the fun topper at a chemical level. Good juice.

🍺 Costco's Kirkland Vintage Ale 2025 - Review & Tasting Notes

Fall is in the air, and that means we have yet another year of Kirkland's Vintage Ale! Brewed proudly by Deschutes (pronounced "Da-Shootz") in Bend, Oregon, this Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout spends nine months in the wood, picking up what the whiskey left behind (mostly vanillin and tannins). Bottled over the summer, this particular beer is from Lot B. Neither Costco nor the packaging give us much additional detail beyond the ABV and style. I remember finding last year 's edition to be solid but nothing to write home about, fairly dry but a pleasant pour. The use of the work "vintage" to me implies that some changes may be made year-to-year but we'll have to see if our taste buds can help us validate. How does the 2025 vintage fair? 💅Style: Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout 🛒Sourced: $7.99 Costco, GA for a 22oz bottle. $2 cheaper than the 2024 edition! 💥Hops: Not Mentioned sadly. Other ingredients include chocolate malt, milled oats and Dutc...

🍺 Definitive Light Beer Tier List: Meta-Analysis & Ranking

Trends come and go: Craft Beer, Hard Seltzer, Canned Cocktails, and more. In the world of beverage, the currents are constantly shifting, but one drink has an irrevocable grip on America: Light Beer. Good old beer flavored beer may take a hit from new competition, but brands like Miller Lite and Michelob Ultra constantly sit at the top of sales volume lists, even with the fall of Bud Light and rise of Modelo's Flagship. But which light beer is best? Let's find out. Methodology - Light Beer Ranking Taste preferences vary significantly between consumers, but across a large sample we should be able to get a somewhat representative picture of the populations preferences. For this ranking, we will combine data sourced from multiple beer rating sites with an internal Castle & Cairn house ranking to create an overall beer quality score. The starting population of beer brands will be those that are explicitly branded as "flagship light" or beers with less than 100 calor...

🥃 Review #40: Kirkland Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2024)

Like Costco's other Scotches, the Kirkland Signature Islay Single Malt is bottled for Alexander Murray and imported by MISA Imports after being distilled and aged in Scotland (TTB.gov plant registry TX-I-1277). The isle of Islay is one of the southern most islands in Scotland and is one of the five whisky regions ensconced in law. There are only nine active distilleries on the island, and the Islay style is typified by strong peat or smoky flavors. As a single malt, we know that the juice in this bottle comes entirely from one of those nine! All of the distilleries are significantly smaller than Glenlivet and many of the mainland producers. Taste testing has people split between Caol Illa, Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte), and Bunnahabhain as being the source. Caol Illa and Laphroig both have done deals for private brand scotch without rights to name the source distillery, but Laphroig does not match the flavor profile for this bottle. Realistically, Caol Illa is the most likely cand...

🥃 Best Bourbons at Every Price Point Guide - Updated for 2025

Bourbon, America's native spirit, offers a wide range of flavors and experiences. Bourbon hunters scour the shelves for rare or premium offerings but a rising tide lifts all ships. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or just starting your bourbon journey, there's a perfect bottle out there for you, and at a price that fits your wallet. Here's a quick guide to some of the best bourbons at various price points in 2025 that you won't have to search all over the world to find. Methodology Pricing will be for $750ml bottles of bourbon since that size the most widely available. Similarly, I am only bringing in bottles that can be readily found in the market (proxying this by using the stock from my local Total Wine for the base catalog and pricing unless noted). The best bourbon in the world isn't the best bourbon in YOUR world if you can't reasonably find it. Additionally, chosen bottles must be versatile enough to be consumed straight or neat as well as in a ...

🍺🍷🥃 Beer, Wine, and Spirits Rebate Website Master List

If there is anything I love more than a good drink, it's saving money buying that good drink! The rules for providing discounts on alcohol differ substantially between states with some allowing outright discounts or coupons and others entirely disallowing any sort of purchase incentive. Thankfully though, in my native Georgia as well as most states, a simple reimbursement approach is permissible. Alcohol Rebate Site Master List The following sites are relatively stable for each manufacturer. New offers usually come out every few months. None of these are affiliate links and I provide no assurance as to the process. I have saved so much money using rebates and hope you have similar success. Best practices and general process advice will be presented at the bottom. New sites will be added as I uncover them. Beer Rebates Boston Beer Company Brands - Angry Orchard, Dogfish head, Hard Mountain Dew, Samuel Adams, Sun Crusher, Truly, and Twisted Tea. Some brands may not have active...

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