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David Nicholson Reserve vs Blanton’s Single Barrel
Put David Nicholson Reserve next to Blanton’s Single Barrel and you have a blender-built, corn-forward bottling set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | David Nicholson Reserve | Blanton’s Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +7 proof | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $40 ~$80 less | ~$80 – $150 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- David Nicholson Reserve and Blanton’s Single Barrel do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
David Nicholson Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
David Nicholson Reserve Blanton’s Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 3/6 fruit: David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 4 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- David Nicholson Reserve: The rye-recipe sibling to the 1843, with extra age. Toasty oak and rye spice give it more backbone, and the spice stays put through a long, warm finish.
- Blanton’s Single Barrel: The bottle that invented the single-barrel category and still trades largely on its horse-stopper cork and its scarcity. The whiskey itself is genuinely good — honeyed and citrus-led with nutmeg spice — but at secondary prices you are paying for the bottle as much as the pour.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with David Nicholson Reserve if you want a toasty, spicy, 100-proof value bourbon that stands up in cocktails without hunting for it.
- Go with Blanton’s Single Barrel if you want the original single-barrel presentation and a honeyed, citrus-led profile, and the hunt is part of the appeal.
Best enjoyed old-fashioned, cocktails, rocks (David Nicholson Reserve); neat, rocks (Blanton’s Single Barrel).