Discover Blanton's Distillery

Discover Blanton's Distillery

Whisky of the world

Legend has it that in 1775, pioneers Hancock and Willis Lee established a colony on the fertile shores of the Kentucky river. Due to its prime strategic location, the site quickly became a hub for river shipping — especially for whiskey. The riverbanks were quickly transformed into a great warehousing complex, from which thousands of barrels were shipped to New Orleans via the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.

The colony would become Frankfort, capital of Kentucky, in the late 18th century, but its first distillery was built as early as 1812. The site, which today is classified as a National Historic Landmark, went through several names (including George T. Stagg Distillery) before becoming Buffalo Trace. Stretching across 130 acres through which the Kentucky meanders lazily, this distillery is the birthplace of one of the most iconic bourbons in existence: Blanton’s.

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◊ Standing out rather starkly from its brick neighbours, a metal-clad building is easily identifiable from the visitor parking lot: this is Warehouse H, where all Blanton’s single barrel bourbons are aged. Climbing the four floors that house the 15,947 casks, one is struck by the major variations in temperature: up to 15°C between the ground and top levels.

◊ From the gardens overlooking the site, the statue of colonel Albert Bacon Blanton watches over the distillery, not far from his erstwhile home of Stony Point Mansion. The statue pays tribute to this ‘true Kentucky gentleman,’ who remained with the company for fifty-five years. A man of little renown during his own time, his name became famous worldwide twenty-five years after his death, when Elmer T. Lee gave the name ‘Blanton’s’ to his first range of single barrels in 1984.

◊ Catch a glimpse of the dedication that goes into Blanton’s behind the scenes by visiting the bottling hall. Everything from bottling to labelling to corking and wax-sealing is done by hand, by a team of thirty employees. Each single barrel bottle bears a handwritten indication of the bottling date, alcoholic proof, cask number, and ‘rick’ of provenance.

◊ It is impossible to talk about Blanton’s without mentioning the Mint Julep, a cocktail of bourbon, mint, sugar, and crushed ice. This refreshing beverage is the co-star of the Kentucky Derby, a prestigious horse race that has been run yearly in Louisville since 1875 and draws 160,000 spectators each spring. This cocktail, traditionally served in a silver or metal cup, is of course best made with Blanton’s Original.

◊ The greatest collection of Blanton’s can be sampled at 103 W Main St, Frankfort. Bourbon On Main — a bar and restaurant nicknamed BOM by the locals — is decorated with barrel heads bearing the names of local distilleries. It has quickly become the premier local spot for bourbon enthusiasts.

◊ Kentucky is one of the United States’ top poultry producers, and is famous worldwide for its fried chicken. The dish most emblematic of Blanton’s history, however, is burgoo: a hardy meat stew that is served in many local restaurants. The distillery has kept a record of colonel Albert Bacon Blanton’s original, high-protein recipe: he was known to cook huge batches of it himself, to feed his employees during the Great Depression. The kettle in which this chicken, veal, and beef-based stew used to simmer remains on display at the distillery.

◊ The Blanton’s bottle’s unmistakable profile has graced screens both big and small. Try to spot it in House of Cards, The Big Bang Theory, and John Wick. Created by designer Terry G. Williams, the bottle is crowned by a stopper sculpted like a horse and jockey as a tribute to Kentucky’s horse racing heritage. Enthusiasts will have noticed that the jockey has shrunk over the years, and that eight different stoppers each illustrate a different stage of the race.

◊ The Bluegrass Region is known for more than just bourbon and thoroughbred horses. It is also the birthplace of bluegrass music, an offshoot of country music that emerged in the 1940s. One of the genre’s most legendary songs, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, shot to fame after being featured in Arthur Penn’s 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. The ideal soundtrack to roam Kentucky’s roads!