How to Spot Fake Blanton's: Bottle & Website Red Flags

Blanton's is one of the most faked bourbons in America, and the holidays are when scammers are busiest. Most people who get burned don't get a fake bottle. They pay a fake website and get nothing at all. Here's how to check a bottle, how to check a seller, and what to do if something feels off.

"Customers ask me, 'How do I know it's real?' I'll literally send them a picture of the bottle in my hand. Every bottle we sell is completely real. We're a fully licensed retailer, so we don't get fake bottles. We get them straight from the distributor."

— Our owner

Why Blanton's gets faked so often

Blanton's is allocated, which means stores only get a few bottles at a time, and demand is much bigger than supply. Every bottle also has a collectible horse-and-jockey stopper, and people buy and sell the empty bottles and stoppers online. That gives counterfeiters two things they need: real empty bottles to refill, and shoppers who are willing to pay extra to find one.

In 2021, Buffalo Trace Distillery, which makes Blanton's, publicly warned about websites selling fake Blanton's and other bottles. Shoppers found the sites through social media ads, paid, and then either got nothing or got empty bottles with plastic toppers. The company said most of the sites it found were based outside the U.S.

How to check a Blanton's bottle

1. The stopper is metal, with a horse, a jockey and one letter

Every Blanton's stopper is a metal horse and jockey with one letter of B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S on it. There are eight in all, each showing a different moment of a horse race. A light, plastic-feeling stopper is a major red flag. Buffalo Trace named plastic toppers as a sign of the scam bottles it found.

2. The label tells you exactly where the barrel came from

Blanton's labels are written in a handwritten style and list the date the barrel was dumped, the barrel number, the warehouse (Warehouse H) and the rick, which is the rack the barrel sat on. Every field should be filled in. Numbers that look scratched out, written over or in a different ink are a warning sign.

3. No signs the bottle was opened

Most counterfeit bourbon in the U.S. is a real bottle that was emptied and refilled with something cheaper. Look for drip marks or streaks running down the label, a stopper that sits loose or crooked, glue around the neck, or a fill level that's lower than normal. Any of these means the bottle may have been opened.

4. A bottle that "looks right" still isn't proof

A well-done refill uses a genuine bottle, label and stopper, and you often can't tell until you open it. That's why where you buy matters more than what you see in a photo. A licensed store buys its bottles through licensed distributors. A stranger on social media can't show you where a bottle came from.

How to spot a fake Blanton's website

Fake websites are the bigger risk, because you pay first and find out later. These are the warning signs we see most:

• The price is too good. Buffalo Trace's own advice: "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is."
• No phone number, or nobody answers. Real stores pick up the phone.
• They ask for Zelle, Cash App, gift cards or crypto. These payments are hard to get back. A real store takes credit cards and normal checkout options.
• You found them through a social media ad and the site is only a few months old.
• They have every allocated bottle in stock, all the time. No real store does.
• They say they're the distillery. Buffalo Trace has said it does not sell its whiskey online. Any site claiming to be "the official Blanton's store" is not.
• No ID check. Licensed stores require an adult 21+ to sign at delivery.

For a full checklist, see Is Liquor Royale Legit?, where we show how we check out against every one of these.

What a real Blanton's costs

Prices vary by store and by bottle, but a sealed Blanton's Original from a licensed retailer is a premium bottle with a premium price. Ours is $99.85. Gold, Straight From The Barrel and Black Label cost more because they're harder to get. If a site is selling Blanton's for a fraction of what licensed stores charge, the bottle is either fake or it isn't coming.

What to do if you think you were scammed

• Call your credit card company or bank right away and dispute the charge.
• Report the website to the Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general's office. Buffalo Trace recommends both.
• Keep screenshots of the site, the ad and your receipt.

How we sell Blanton's

We're a licensed, family-owned liquor store in Chula Vista, San Diego, open for more than 20 years. Every Blanton's we sell comes straight from our licensed distributor, and every bottle ships sealed. Before it goes in the box, we wrap the top tightly in plastic wrap so the seal can't break or leak on the way. It ships by UPS, and an adult 21+ has to sign for it.

Want to see your bottle before you buy? Text or call us at (619) 735-6422 and we'll send you a photo of it in hand. A real person from our family will answer.

Shop all Blanton's, or read Which Blanton's Should You Buy?

Fake Blanton's questions

Are there fake Blanton's bottles?

Yes. Buffalo Trace has warned about websites selling counterfeit Blanton's, and refilled bottles are the most common kind of fake bourbon in the U.S.

Does Buffalo Trace sell Blanton's online?

No. Buffalo Trace has said it does not sell its whiskey online. To buy Blanton's online, use a licensed retailer.

Is the Blanton's stopper metal or plastic?

Metal. Buffalo Trace has pointed to plastic toppers as a sign of the scam bottles it found.

Can I see a photo of the bottle before I buy?

Yes. Text us at (619) 735-6422 and we'll send you a picture of the bottle in hand.

Is it safe to buy Blanton's online?

Yes, from a licensed store you can call, that takes normal payment methods and requires an adult signature at delivery. Be careful with social media sellers and sites you've never heard of.