🥃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.

🥃📰 First Look: NEW Old Fitzgerald 7-Year Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

In a TTB filing , Heaven Hill soft announces a new Old Fitzgerald edition whiskey: Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 7-Year Bourbon. The Old Fitzgerald decanter line has long been a coveted edition, but low supply and high demand means that it is terribly hard to find, particularly for anything close to suggested retail price. Official press from the distiller has not yet occurred, but we have put together the following details. About Old Fitzgerald From Heaven Hill's wheated mash bill (68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Barley), the Old Fitzgerald decanter series is a Bottled-in-Bond offering released twice annually. This mash bill is also likely shared by the Larceny series of products, all aged in #3 char barrels. Old Fitzgerald Decanter Series Old Fitzgerald 7-Year Bottled-in-Bond credit @Bourbonconky posted on X.com by Bourb Your Enthusiasm The new product will have a seven year age statement, and per the bottled-in-bond act will consist of bourbon produced by Heaven Hill wit...

🥃Review #15 Costco's Kirkland Small Batch Bourbon

Costco's liquor store is a thing of beauty. While not every Kirkland edition is a hit, there are enough standouts on a fun per dollar ratio to always merit a look. Almost all of the house brands are less than $30, and I'm always excited to take a long shot when the new seasonal releases come around. 📚 Background: Distilled by Barton 1792 in Bardstown Kentucky, Kirkland Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey hits the shelves a few times a year. Mine was from batch 1124. The bottle presentation is supposed to evoke the same feel as other small batch whiskeys and there is a decorative purity seal that is reminiscent of the ever reliable bottled in bond green filigree, albeit in a meaningless red. Unlike its bonded brethren, this edition comes in under 100 proof and does not have any age statement. There's not a whole lot of additional information provided by Costco or the distiller, but we can reasonably assume that it shares a similar pedigree as the entry level 1792...

🥃Review #53: Costco's Kirkland 15YR Highland Single Malt Scotch - 2025

The 2025 release of Costco's Kirkland 15-year Highland Scotch hit shelves in late January and is a recurring installment on an annual cadence. The first pallet to hit my local store sold out almost immediately. Thankfully, we got two more shipments at one pallet each that hung around a bit longer and I was able to snag a bottle. Like in previous years, this Highland Scotch is finished in sherry casks. Alexander Murray & Co. is the bottler with MISA imports out of Texas bringing it to the States for consumption (Costco's standard sourcing pattern for Scotch). The bottle has a nice heft to it and there is an ensconced Alexander Murray Lion adding some nice texture to the front of the bottle. Steve Lipp, CEO of Alexander Murray, calls it "Perfect for after dinner drinking." All-in-all, this shows an attempt to elevate the product and presentation from the ubiquitous blends and non-age stated iterations you'll sometimes find under the Kirkland label. Neither Alex...

🥃Review #30: Kirkland Bourbon Casked Rum XO

XO stands for "Extra Old" but how does this bottle of Bourbon Casked Rum from Costco's Kirkland Signature line measure up? 📚 Background: Finished in used Cognac barrels, this bottle is a product of Guatemala, imported for Costco by MISA IMPORTS out of Dallas Texas. MISA, named after the founder's children Michael and Sarah, started primarily as a sourcing partner for fine wines, but has since expanded operations into sourcing spirits. MISA's rum brand partners include 1731 , Autentico Nativo , and Navy Island. We would have to guess the maker if not for the back label which clearly identifies one Olivier Dumont, Master Blender. Mr. Dumont works for Les Bienheureux , a French company growing at an alarming rate that has both a foothold in French Whisky and Costa Rican Rum. Les Bienheureux is the company behind "El Pasador De Oro " (roughly translated as "Gold Pin") which has two widely available iterations. The XO version retails for $46.99 a...

🥃 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...

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