Blanton's is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced and marketed by the Sazerac Company. Though it doesn't own the brand, it has exclusive distilling rights. It is owned by Age International, Inc. It is distilled in Frankfort, Kentucky at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. History The Blanton's brand was launched in 1984 under the guidance of the distillery's master distiller Elmer T. Lee, as the first modern bourbon brand marketed as a single barrel bourbon. The original brand name was "Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon". A single barrel bourbon is one for which each bottling batch is produced from the contents of only one particular aging barrel – not mixed with whiskey from any other barrels (and not blended with neutral spirits, colorings, or flavorings). The company says that producing a high quality whiskey using this production method requires constant monitoring of every barrel in the middle of the warehouse by the Master Distiller. The barrels are dumped by hand without using machinery. There are eight different stopper designs, each with a different letter of the alphabet molded into it and topped with a figurine of a racehorse and jockey. When placed in order, spelling "B L A N T O N' S", the horse and jockey's poses display eight different scenes of a horse race, from standing at the gate, to crossing the finish line with a win. Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon is typically aged for 6 to 8 years. It is aged in Warehouse H at Buffalo Trace, which is the only metal-cladded warehouse at Buffalo Trace and was commissioned for construction by one of the distillery's early leaders, Albert B. Blanton, shortly after the end of the Prohibition era. Being metal, the warehouse transfers heat quicker than brick warehouses, which allows for more rapid aging. There are multiple different expressions of Blanton's, each being a different proof. The original 93 proof Blanton's was the only expression available in the United States until 2020. That year, Sazerac Company announced domestic annual limited releases of 103 proof Blanton's Gold and cask proof Blanton's Straight From the Barrel. Prior to these announcements, both Gold and Straight From the Barrel were available exclusively in select international markets. Other expressions, including 80 proof Special Reserve, remain exclusive to select international markets. Albert Blanton and the Buffalo Trace distillery Blanton's bourbon was named in honor of one of the distillery's early leaders, Albert B. Blanton,