🥃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.

🥃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...

🍺 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...

🍺🍷🥃 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. Last Updated & Validated 2/4/2026 . 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 Twis...

🎮 Call of Duty Warzone - The Drinking Game

Fairly self explanatory per the graphic below. What could be more fun than tossing back a few cold ones with your closest buds while rampaging through one of your favorite video games? Call of Duty Warzone might not have as much nostalgia as it did in the Verdansk days, but it still has some charm. The best part: you'll already be at home when you're done so there's no need to worry about a designated driver! Obligatory plug to know your limits, be legal, and drink responsibly, we don't respawn IRL (yes I know that's a cringe statement - that's the joke). Call of Duty Warzone Drinking Game Prep To play the game, you'll need the following in addition to an internet connection, gaming device, and Call of Duty: A Party Sipper of your Choice - I recommend something relatively low ABV. We balanced the rules for a player of moderate ability and a sipper of 4-8% alcohol. Light beer is my go-to here since it has enough lovely hydrating water to soak up any shots. ...

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