Episode 1
Blanton's Single Barrel
· 6 min
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Show notes
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Character Proof! Host Tim Fulton kicks things off with the holy hand grenade of bourbon itself: Blanton’s Single Barrel. After breaking down the classic vanilla, caramel, and sweet oak tasting notes of this notoriously allocated pour, Tim dives into a hilarious character study of the exact guy hoarding it. Meet Marcus: a 41-year-old Regional Director of Sales who spends his Tuesday mornings staking out strip-mall liquor stores, treats his finished basement like a museum, and lies awake at night agonizing over his missing "N" stopper. Pour yourself a dram (even if it’s just the decoy Buffalo Trace) and join us for our very first round of tasting notes and character flaws.
The tasting card
Blanton's Original Single Barrel
46.5% ABV · No age statement · Buffalo Trace Distillery
- Nose
- Caramel, orange peel, and a warm note of oak.
- Palate
- Honey, baking spice, and a little rye snap.
- Finish
- Long, dry, and satisfying.
“The hype is mostly earned. The horse stays on the shelf — the story about how hard it was to find does not.”
There’s a little metal horse on the cap, and depending on the person pouring it, that horse is either a charming detail or the entire personality. Set the jockey aside for a second, because under all the mystique Blanton’s is the real thing: a single barrel that genuinely earns its reputation. There’s depth here you can sit with.
The nose opens with caramel and bright orange peel over a warm backbone of oak. The palate follows through — honey, baking spice, a little rye snap that keeps it from getting sleepy — and it lands on a finish that’s long, dry, and quietly satisfying. Nothing about it is showing off. Which is funny, given who tends to own it.
Because you know the drinker. The bottle was hard to find. It’s always hard to find. There was a guy, and a list, and a story you’re about to hear whether you asked or not. None of which changes the truth in the glass: this is a very good pour that would be even better if you could enjoy it without the provenance briefing. Pour generously anyway — the whiskey didn’t do anything wrong.
- would re-pour
- special occasion
The drinker we imagined
The Trophy Hunter
Loves the chase more than the pour — and the receipt most of all.