Blanton’s Marks 20 Years Of Exclusives With LMDW With 5 Gemstone-Inspired Single Cask Bourbons For LMDW’s 2026 Collection
Blanton's Bourbon's famous horse has been running the La Maison du Whisky track for a long time. LMDW began working with Blanton's in France in 1995. Then in 2006, Blanton's became a fixture of LMDW's Créations Catalogue - a large annual collection of coveted limited releases and LMDW-exclusive cask selections from important producers around the world.
2026, thus, marks 20 years of exclusive Blanton's bottlings in LMDW's Création Collection. We're reminded by LMDW that it's also their 70th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Such an occasion deserves a special set of releases: a set inspired by gemstones. We'll see not 4 but 5 exclusive Blanton's Single Cask Bourbons inspired by Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire of various strengths.
There will be two editions each of Emeraude and Rubis releases, bottled at 50% and 60% ABV. The Saphir that comes in at 55% ABV will even be presented in a special gift set with four Riedel All American Bourbon glasses.
Let's take a closer look at the 2026 class.
Blanton’s Emeraude Single Barrel, 50% ABV
United States, bourbon, single cask #357, Rick 30, limited edition of 270 bottles, LMDW exclusive
Drawn from Rick 30, the first Emeraude is the softer of the two emerald-labelled releases.
It opens in familiar Blanton’s territory with vanilla, caramel and toffee, but the official notes soon introduce lichen, Tiger Balm and cayenne.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep old gold.
Aroma: Both rich and smooth. Initially revealing aromas of sandalwood, vanilla, caramel, rock candy, and toffee, the initial nose gradually proves slightly earthy. With aeration, autumnal (lichen, hazelnut, chestnut), spicy (clove, nutmeg), and medicinal (Tiger Balm) scents delicately permeate the surrounding air.
Taste: Complex, creamy. Cereal-driven (corn, rye) and at the same time supported by strong spices (clove, nutmeg), the palate gradually unveils particularly indulgent lactic (butter), honeyed, and caramelized (toffee) tones. Covered in a fine layer of grated ginger and cinnamon, the end of the palate is refreshed by the presence of a few dark berries (blueberry, blackberry).
Finish: Elegant, fluid. Radiating with luminosity, it opens on tart (lime) and intensely spicy, almost fiery (cayenne) flavours that give it great momentum. Creamy (peanut butter) and at the same time tinged with exoticism (pineapple, mango), the retro-olfaction is adorned with honeyed (lavender) and floral (carnation) accents that bring a heady touch.
Blanton’s Rubis Single Barrel, 50% ABV
United States, bourbon, single cask #478, Rick 15, limited edition of 264 bottles
Drawn from Rick 15, Cask #478 is said to supply plenty of fruit. Stewed apple and Greengage plum appear first, followed by pineapple, pear, prune, mango and dark berries.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep old gold.
Aroma: Full, deep. Rich in honeyed, vanillic (pod), stewed fruit (apple, Greengage plum), and spicy (black pepper, black cardamom) aromas, the initial nose is refreshed by balsamic (lime blossom, cypress) and infused (chamomile, bay leaf) scents. With aeration, the aroma palette is imbued with fruity (wild blackberry, blueberry), precious wood (sandalwood), and animalistic (leather) fragrances.
Taste: Dense, smooth. Buttery, finely caramelized (toffee), and spicy (nutmeg, cinnamon), the flavour palette continues seamlessly from the nose. In the mid-palate, center stage is given to numerous truits (pineapple, pear, prune, ripe mango), while the end of the palate proves deliciously gourmand (cake, walnut cake).
Finish: Long, noble. Extremely delicate, its feel is simultaneously rooty (gentian), autumnal (chestnut, sweet chestnut, hazelnut), and powdery (cinnamon, cacao). Venturing into deeply cereal-driven territories (corn, rye, wheat), the retro-olfaction evokes the flourishing harvest season. Floral (rose petal) and nobly spicy (saffron, curry), the retro-olfaction looks towards the Orient.
Blanton’s Emeraude Single Barrel, 60% ABV
United States, bourbon, single cask #356, limited edition of 210 bottles
The second Emeraude turns the strength up by 10% ABV. Cask #356 is a darker and more concentrated Emeraude. We're promised brown butter and caramelised apple, dates, figs, pipe tobacco and black liquorice among other rich references.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Orangey copper.
Aroma: Rich, deep. Revealing intense, rich aromas of brown butter and pine resin, the initial nose evolves towards increasingly gourmand registers (caramel candy, baked apple). With aeration, the aroma palette becomes imbued with spicy (clove, cinnamon), heady (iris concrete), candied (mirabelle plum, orange), slightly camphoric, and empyreumatic (eucalyptus) fragrances.
Taste: Full, concentrated. Initially, notes of precious wood (stave oak, sandalwood) sit alongside eloquent corn flavours. Nobly spicy (clove, cardamom), the palate takes on caramelized, saline, and tertiary (fig, date) tones that attest to its deep maturity. Infused (verbena, sage) and exotic (roasted pineapple), the end of the palate is remarkably fresh.
Finish: Long, smooth. Having reached its balance point, it is carried by a pleasant, mouth-watering rooty bitterness (gentian, ginger) and by bourbon-vanilla flavours that rival each other in intensity. Heady (wallflower, tuberose), peppery (Espelette pepper), and cereal-led, over time the retro-olfaction returns intimately blended scents of pipe tobacco, black liquorice, and cinnamon.
Blanton’s Rubis Single Barrel, 60% ABV
United States, bourbon, single cask #479, Rick 15, limited edition of 198 bottles
The second Rubis is also matured in Rick 15, but was bottled at 60%.
The higher-strength Rubis leans into salted butter caramel, cinnamon and roasted pineapple before red and dark fruit arrive late on the palate.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Orangey copper.
Aroma: Rich, full-bodied. On the initial nose, spicy (cinnamon, nutmeg), buttery, and rich (rock candy) aromas claim the entire olfactive space. With aeration, the aroma palette displays increasingly exotic (ripe mango, roasted pineapple), empyreumatic (apricot kernel), camphoric, medicinal (Tiger Balm), and balsamic (emery cloth) tones.
Taste: Full and dense. Covered in a thin layer of salted butter caramel and notes of cinnamon with great purity of expression, the palate inexorably evolves towards increasingly tertiary (chestnut, pecan nut), powdery (cacao, ginger), and cereal (corn) registers. Then, red and dark fruits (strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, blackcurrant) colour a crunchy end-palate.
Finish: Nuanced, stately. Heady (geranium, iris), honeyed (fir, lime blossom), herbaceous (cut hay, alfalfa), and spicy (paprika), it is enlivened by citrus zest (orange, lemon) and various infusions (cardamom tea, chamomile). Then, flavours of precious wood (sandalwood), pipe tobacco, and saffron lend immense nobility to a resolutely cereal-driven (corn, rye) retro-olfaction.
Blanton’s Saphir Single Barrel, 55% ABV
United States, bourbon, single cask #353, Rick 30, limited edition of 270 sets, LMDW exclusive
Drawn from Rick 30, Saphir sits between the paired 50% and 60% releases at 55%. Each of the 270 packages contains one bottle and four Riedel All American Bourbon glasses.
The liquid inside draws on caramel, dulce de leche, vanilla and baking spice, with grapefruit and lime adding some lift.
Official Tasting Notes
Colour: Old gold with copper glints.
Aroma: Rich, smooth. On the initial nose, exquisite fragrances of caramel, dulce de leche, toffee, and vanilla sit alongside chocolate chips and wild berries (blackberry, blueberry). With aeration, spicy (nutmeg, clove) and autumnal (prune, date) scents vie for intensity. Increasingly honeyed (linden blossom) and infused (bay leaf), the aroma palette gains freshness and becomes tangier (lime, grapefruit).
Taste: Both broad and full-bodied. Indulgent (biscuit, cracker), supported by burnt caramel flavours and rich in baking spices (cinnamon, cardamom, tonka bean), the flavour palette constantly gains depth and complexity. Returning naturally to cereal territory (corn), the end of the palate is also imbued with very subtle spicy flavours (white pepper, cumin).
Finish: Radiant, characterful. In the spicy continuation of the finish, it evolves toward more indulgent (custard/ flan), milky (coconut), and herbaceous (blonde tobacco) tones. Rooty (gentian), exotic (passion fruit, mango), and roasted (coffee), retro-olfaction shows originality by steering the tasting toward previously unexplored lands.
Kanpai!
88 Bamboo Editorial Team
