[Aredubjay]

Joe, I paid approximately 52.00 USD for the bottle I took with me to Tennessee. It was not the "Gold." It can be had for less (35-40 USD from some of the online vendors). So, I suppose prices, with transport and such are in line.

By the same token, I am sometimes surprised at the price of Scotch, here. Though the Taliskers seemed reasonable at (I believe) around 35.00, according to Colin, I shiver at paying around that price for something called "Sheep Dip." Some of the "rarer" Scotches reach the 150.00 range . . . and up.

I'm sure that much of Blanton's cost is tied up in its extravagant packaging. One opens the box to find an embroidered brown velvet bag with gold draw chords. From out of the bag sprouts the custom stopper: a sculptured jockey atop a thoroughbred in full run. The base of the stopper is sealed onto the neck of the bottle with gold sealing wax from which two small gold tabs protrude for easy removal of the wax. Peel off the bag and find a faceted orb of a bottle. The label is simplistic: script type on parchment. But, what makes the label unique are the blanks. There are blanks for "dump date" "proof" when "dumped" and others. These blanks are filled in by hand with a brown ink "flair" pen and signed by the master distiller who did the "dumping." All in all, the packaging is as beautiful as the flavor of the bourbon.

Now, if you'll excuse me, after that description, I'm going to need a julip.