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 ...