The first thing you’ll notice about Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey is not what’s inside the bottle, but rather, the bottle itself. Each one has a stopper with a tiny letter which, when placed in order, spells B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S and depicts 8 different scenes of a horse race, from start to finish.The next thing you’ll notice is the bourbon, which is absolutely delicious — but first let’s get a few things straight about this fantastic, yet sometimes misunderstood spirit.

The reason bourbon can be a bit confusing is that there are more than a few legal requirements which define it. In 1964, the U.S. Congress recognized bourbon as a distinctive American product and henceforth set a number of standards that must be met in order for it to legally be called “bourbon”. The important ones are as follows: it must be made from at least 51% corn, it must be aged in new, charred oak American barrels, and it can’t contain any added flavoring or coloring. The other requirements have to do with the minimum and maximum proof and the variations due to age — of which there is no legal minimum, but it must be labeled accordingly. Ever wonder why a certain whiskey with No. 7 on the label and made popular by a well known character in Animal House is not labeled “bourbon”? Hint: it has nothing to do with it being from Tennessee and not Kentucky — in fact, bourbon can be produced anywhere as long as it’s done so within the United States. But enough about the technical jargon, and on to one of the finest examples of this wonderful type of whiskey — Blanton’s.

Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey is special for a few reasons; the most notable being that it’s the first of its kind. It’s completely sourced form one single barrel, rather than containing a blend from several different barrels, as is the case with many other bourbons. While there is nothing wrong or off-putting about sourcing from more than one barrel, it does set Blanton’s apart from others. It’s distilled at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky, where for approximately 55 years a man by the name of Col. Albert B. Blanton worked in every department, finally becoming president of the whiskey plant in 1921. Although he died many years before Blanton’s was first released, his dedication to the delicate process of making bourbon is preserved in each bottle. The whiskey is made in Warehouse H (which was quickly built out of tin just after prohibition ended in the early 1930’s) from a blend of corn, rye and malted barley. The mash is distilled, after which it is carefully monitored by the Master Distiller as it ages in #4 char white oak barrels. The barrels are dumped into bottle by hand, not machine, and the resulting bourbon is a lovely 93 proof (46.5% alcohol by volume).

The flavor is incredibly balanced — notes of spice and dried fruit mingle with hints of caramel, vanilla and just a touch of smoke. It’s highly recommended by us at Vino to be enjoyed neat or with a couple (no more than a few) rocks. And while drinking Blanton’s won’t necessarily increase your chances of winning at the track, the 8 different horse and jockey stoppers make for a pretty neat excuse to drink plenty of it.

Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
$48

For more information please call 212-725-6516 or email info@vinosite.com.

White Lightning, Mountain Dew, Bathtub Gin, Hooch — there are many names associated with the illegal, corn-based spirit called Moonshine. But there’s only one from Brooklyn, and luckily for us, it happens to be legal. Kings County Distillery Moonshine is made from certified organic corn, plus a bit of malted Scotch barley.

The history of moonshine belongs to the backwoods of the Appalachians where, by the light of the moon (hence its name), our thirsty forbears would secretly craft this spirit in illegal, often homemade stills. Moonshine is unique in that as soon as it’s been distilled, it’s finished being made. There is no aging involved in this special whiskey, which results in a clear-as-water appearance. It’s usually made from 100% corn because of the crop’s relative abundance and low cost. Of course, much early moonshine would not appeal to today’s drinker as such hooch could be quite high in alcohol — up to 75%!

Here in NYC, we are proud to represent Kings County Distillery, the city’s first legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition. Founded in April of this year, this tiny company operates out of a 330-square foot loft in Williamsburg, and for the time being only produces Moonshine (they are in the process of aging a bourbon). Their moonshine is made minimally, using only five 8-gallon stills they purchased online. They keep the proof at 80 (40% alcohol) which is standard, and package the spirit in a 200ml flask shaped bottle. Fiery yet smooth, the finished product will astound you; like bourbon unborn, its unlike anything else you’ve tasted before.

And just in case you wanted to make some moonshine of your own, here’s a helpful how-to video, kind of

Kings County Distillery Moonshine (200ml)
$20

For more information please contact 212-725-6516 or info@vinosite.com.