When the George T. Stagg distillery first launched Blanton’s in 1984, it was priced at a then-jaw-dropping $30—double or triple the price of most different bourbon on the cabinets. On the time, the business was nonetheless within the midst of a decadeslong tailspin, a glut of barrels accumulating in Kentucky warehouses as Individuals targeted their consideration on vodka, wine coolers and any cocktail made with peach schnapps. So why launch a luxurious product?
“[Elmer T.] Lee had nothing to lose,” claimed The New York Occasions in its 2013 eulogy of the legendary grasp distiller. By then, nevertheless, his distillery was often known as Buffalo Hint and Blanton’s was on the verge of turning into a unicorn, with a market worth of $300—that’s, should you may really discover it. At present, the concept of a world-class bourbon for below $50 appears downright laughable.
And but, there may be much more on the market than you may suppose.
If the main focus of bourbon fans, particularly “taters,” right now appears completely homed in on allotted LEs (restricted editions) that promote for lots of if not hundreds of {dollars}, MSRP be damned, the business stalwarts proceed to launch loads of exemplary bourbon at an important worth. There’s merely an financial system of scale that permits the large, multinational conglomerate–owned distilleries like Wild Turkey (a Campari subsidiary), Jim Beam (Suntory) and 4 Roses (Kirin) to proceed to supply top-shelf liquid at bottom-shelf costs. As certainly one of our tasters bluntly figured:
“For those who’re growing old a spirit, you’re not going to spend all that point simply to make one thing shitty.”
Nonetheless, this was a reasonably difficult tasting as a consequence of an overriding sameness from bourbon to bourbon. In contrast to, say, single malt whiskeys, rum or agave spirits, bourbon has a a lot narrower profile for what it could possibly really style like. Strict manufacturing guidelines dictate that it’s predominantly corn-based and aged in new charred oak, and the following factor you realize, you end up swimming in a sea of caramel, vanilla and baking spice sameness.
In fact, there have been just a few standouts.
For this tasting, Punch’s editorial workers was joined by Aaron Goldfarb, a frequent Punch contributor on the subject of whiskey. We blind-tasted 15 bourbons, nearly completely from Kentucky’s largest distilleries, although just a few economically priced craft choices have been additionally included. Beneath are our high 5 picks.
