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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.
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.