I Mixed Up a Cocktail With a $160 Whiskey; Here's How My Gold Rush Cocktail Turned Out Using Blanton's Gold Bourbon
- Nick Anderson
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
“You see, there are two kinds of people in this world: the workers and the hustlers. The hustlers never work, and the workers never hustle...”
- Doug, Cocktail
Far too often I hear people describe a whiskey as "a mixing whiskey." This term, inherently derogatory towards the quality of the spirit, is counterintuitive to me. It's a good whiskey that ultimately makes a good cocktail. Whether I am crafting a stellar rye old fashioned or a sweet bourbon concoction, I try to hold a few simple life mottos: "All days are good days" and "Good stuff in, good stuff out" are amongst my favorite quotes to recite to friend and foe alike. So it's with those notions in mind that I say, mix with your best. You may be surprised by the outcome.
That's exactly what I did when I set out to make my own version of the Gold Rush, an institutional cocktail now known the world over. First concocted by a patron of Milk & Honey sometime around 2000, this now-famous cocktail has since been enjoyed by countless bar patrons since its inception. Robert Simonson did a great piece covering the invention of this mixology masterpiece that's certainly worth a read once you've got a cocktail in hand. If you've never made one of these, I've got the full recipe for you towards the bottom of this article, so hang tight. First, let's explore the whiskey I chose for my Gold Rush: a single barrel selection of Blanton's Gold bourbon.
Single barrel selections of whiskey are not a new phenomenon. Retailers, groups, and even some brave individuals have been regularly doing barrel picks since the bourbon craze firmly took hold around 2018. In the whiskey enthusiast community, Buffalo Trace Distillery tends to be the most commonly sought-after distillery to do picks from, if not the pinnacle of all barrel selections. Weller, Stagg, and E.H. Taylor single barrels have been the talk of the town for the last decade. Single barrel selections of Blanton's Gold are a relatively new offering, however. One of the first selections landed in my home state of Massachusetts, where I was honored to have tasted from the barrel samples and ultimately agreed with the store's selection; they had a dandy of a bourbon on their hands. Wondering what the whiskey tastes like on its own? Let's get into a quick review.
Company on Label: Blanton Distilling Company (Buffalo Trace Distillery, operated under Sazerac)
Whiskey Type: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed bourbon mash bill #2
Proof: 103°
Age: NAS
MSRP: $160
Further identification: This single barrel was selected by Wyman's Liquors in Leominster, MA; it was dumped on 2-26-2025 from barrel 28, stored in warehouse H, on rick number 37
Nose: This leads peppery up front with deep caramel undertones. The oak influence is strong yet not at the forefront in aroma. Undulating tones of white linens, salty oysters, and beach sand create a lovely array to behold. With time the glass opens up to a forest floor filled with pine needles, rich in time, patience, history, and lore. It's a spicy, vibrant, punchy nose that should satiate the most experienced whiskey connoisseurs. After a few sips, the glass almost leans into a profile more typical of Weller Full Proof. Cherry, caramel, and butterscotch can be found on long, savor-worthy inhales. The empty glass smells of zesty lemon in a summer cocktail (foreshadowing!) and dried peach.
Palate: On first taste, I'm impressed by the vibrancy that is typically tamped down with traditional Blanton's bottlings. This is bold, black pepper spice-forward with butterscotch and molasses following behind on a complex wave of bourbon prowess. Another sip offers a similar depth, now with dried raisin, toffee, and grenadine. The linger washes oddities out with a consistent caramel sweetness. This is a creamy, sweet whiskey through and through despite a few prickles of black pepper and allspice that keep the attention sharp. As I sip near the bottom of the glass, I find the red fruit returning in spades without coming across as tannic. My last sip offers vanilla frosting and pear before a long linger of apple brandy and caramel syrup takes over the taste buds.
Blanton's Gold Rush Recipe
This is a simple and classic cocktail. You're only going to need 3 ingredients, but this recipe is receptive to some subtle modifications if needed.
Recipe
2 oz Blanton's Gold Bourbon
¾ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
¾ oz honey syrup (two parts honey + one part hot water)
A lemon wheel or peel for garnish
Instructions
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice
Add bourbon, lemon juice, and honey to the shaker
Shake vigorously for 30-40 seconds
Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube
Garnish with a slice of lemon or an expressed lemon peel
Alternates
If you don't have any Blanton's Gold on hand, you can use any sweet, complex bourbon you see fit
Lime would be a good lemon substitute, if desired; skip the squeeze bottle formats you'll find at the grocery store though-squeeze some fresh fruit here
The honey syrup ingredient is where I had the most fun experimenting with this cocktail; try an Irish honey liqueur like I did in this rendition
So if you're here reading this and still haven't tried the Gold Rush cocktail, what are you waiting for? Head down to your favorite watering hole, or better yet, grab the requisite ingredients and get mixing! The odds of your local bar serving this up with Blanton's Gold are relatively slim, but then too, so are the odds of you owning a bottle. This is the kind of whiskey that collectors love to hunt, given the trinket that adorns every bottle—the cast horse topper cork. Even if you were previously proud of having secured each of the individual letters that spell out BLANTON'S when you collected each racehorse and jockey topper, you've now got a new tier of memento to chase. The golden toppers now available on the Blanton's Gold bottles may just be the bane of completionism's existence, but I say... hunt on!
