Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Single Barrel ~ Kentucky Straight Bourbon News
Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon (700ml)(European Import) $270.00 View
From Buffalo Trace Distillery, Blanton’s holds the distinction of being the world’s first regularly released single-barrel bourbon. This exceptional brand was launched in 1984 and named for the legendary leaders of that historic distillery outside of Frankfurt, Albert B. Blanton. The brand, which is produced and distributed by Sazerac at the Buffalo Trace Distillery, is owned by the previous owners of the distillery, a Japanese company called Age International. Over the last several years, Blanton’s has become one of the most sought-after and inaccessible whiskies on the market. This, their rarest and most elusive expression, is previously completely unobtainable. For instance, in 2021 K&L was allocated a measly 3 bottles company wide. Now that new regulations allow 700ml bottles to be sold, another channel is open for us to obtain this special whiskey. Each barrel is different, bottled at full cask strength without chill filtration of any kind. Proofs range from 115-135 proof and cask numbers cannot be checked in advance of purchase. This rare expression is truly one of Kentucky’s finest.
Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
For Nikka From the Barrel, it’s been a long road to Whisky of the Year. This Japanese blend made its U.S. debut in 2018, but its inception dates back more than 30 years. In 1985, Nikka Whisky Distilling Company’s blending team, led by Shigeo Sato, designed this whisky using both malt and grain whiskies produced at Nikka’s Yoichi and Miyagikyo Distilleries. When taking into account the full array of casks—bourbon barrels, sherry butts, refill hogsheads, and more—over 100 different constituent whiskies are enlisted. “From the Barrel” suggests barrel proof, but that’s not the case. The blenders made a conscious decision to bottle at 51.4% (derived from 90 British Proof) to deliver maximum flavor impact. They succeeded. Notably balanced and elegant, the colorful palette of whiskies combines for tremendous depth of flavor. Soft, sweet butterscotch and orange peel meet poached pears and stone fruits. Earthiness appears as dried autumn leaves, coffee, old oak, and tobacco. Among the tangle of spices, tasters identified chili pepper, allspice, cloves, and universally adored its ginger note. Finally, wisps of smoke and sea salt. Overall, it feels generously malty, with the grain whisky lending broad sweetness and supple mouthfeel across the long finish. Beyond its delightful flavors, Nikka From the Barrel presents some paradoxes worthy of contemplation over a glass. It is a classic, yet new to the U.S. It is typically Japanese, yet singularly magnificent. Jeffery Lindenmuth 
