Not solely is Blanton’s thought of a superb whiskey, however its shortage is partially the results of its manufacturing course of. For one factor, the single-barrel whiskey ages three to 4 occasions longer than many others. Any whiskey labeled “straight bourbon” have to be aged for not less than two years, however Blanton’s ages its bourbon for six to eight years.
In 1999, Blanton’s leaned into the whiskey collector’s market, releasing eight totally different stopper tops which have change into the trademark of the model. Every of the stoppers has a racehorse in a special mid-motion pose and is marked with one letter for every within the phrase “Blanton’s.” The distillery even sells barrel staves for displaying your stoppers with satisfaction.
Discovering a bottle at Costco is especially stunning when you think about that Buffalo Hint Distillery, which produces Blanton’s, regulates purchases to at least one each three months. In response to one of many commenters on the Reddit publish concerning the Costco discover, it wasn’t all the time this manner; they are saying that about 10 years in the past, it turned troublesome to trace down. That coincides roughly with the whiskey growth — whiskey turned massively in style, and the distillery wasn’t fairly ready. It says that regardless that manufacturing has amped up, demand nonetheless outpaces provide. The whiskey appears caught in a cycle of shortage and recognition.