Belle Meade Bourbon Sherry Cask Finish

Rating: 15/23 Heard good things and wanted to try for a while. Almost missed getting some 200ml bottles of cask-finished Belle Meade a couple years back, but was lucky to get a sample of this highly praised one. This will be interesting because I liked Belle Meade Cask Strength Reserve but disliked regular Belle Meade. Nose: A musty funk that concerningly brings wet cardboard to mind. Dry barrel spice emerges, followed by rich grain and some minerality. Not as much on the nose as anticipated, with a very light, restrained wood presence in the background. After a few minutes, more aromas appear: peanut shells and faint English walnut oil, plus the faintest cherry and orange zest. Palate: Cherry sherry sweetness is first, with a funk reminiscent of PX. Nice spiciness is also present, and the spirit has a weighty feel, perhaps from oiliness. Maybe finished in PX and oloroso? Mineral notes remain, but the low-ish proof prevents it from being fully bold. Abundant dried fruit flavors start with loads of raisin, moving through faint banana and unsweetened cranberries, with very faint hints of wild blueberries. Wood appears, a bit flat and tannic, likely from French oak. A low spicy burn runs throughout, hard to pinpoint. Some caramel that's also oddly malty. At times, a slightly off cherry syrup with bittersweet chocolate emerges. Finish: Tannic with a mild burn. Perhaps faint leather and occasional hints of dried fruit. Straight clove flavor appeared a couple of times. - Conclusion - While it lacks the leathery sherry finish I wanted, it's a tasty bourbon that significantly improves on the base Belle Meade. It's funky and hard to categorize, but not nearly as problematic as a certain other bourbon known for too much PX. Comparing it to another well-regarded bourbon is a tougher call; I lean towards this not quite matching its quality. Another bourbon with a funky profile tastes quite competitive with this. I'm leaning towards a 15 here, possibly a 14, as I'm not inclined to say it's better than that particular funky bourbon. A 15-year-old bourbon also seems competitive. I might be looking at a 14 here. Revisiting the regular Belle Meade, this no longer seems like such a big upgrade. The quality differences with other bourbons are much larger than what I'm seeing between these two. It's an improvement, certainly, but not a massive one. It's clear a spirit similar to regular Belle Meade was used here. Comparing again to the 15-year-old bourbon, I think I'd prefer this one. Another bourbon is competitive, seeming less boring but more sweet, funky, and unusual. The aforementioned well-regarded bourbon is likely still superior, offering more complexity and a more traditional profile, though I'm less certain now. A different bourbon isn't as complex or interesting, but it's better executed with a solid core flavor and fewer off notes. I think I'd choose it over this, though they are close. This is enjoyable. It has a pleasant sherried finish like a Scotch, and Belle Meade reminds me somewhat of a Scotch with its sweet candy corn flavor mixed in, somehow. I like it, but it's definitely very different. I initially rated this a 15, then considered a 14. Now I'm thinking 16. I'll settle on a 15. Thank you to a friend for this sample.

It's that time of year again, when the "Best Whiskey of the Year" lists are published. I've noticed most of these lists feature well-aged Scotch and limited or allocated Bourbon. While I'm sure these are great, most of us will never try them. So, for the next five days, I'm sharing my top 5 whiskies of 2020 from my perspective. This year wasn't the best, but spending more time at home led to drinking more of our favorite brown spirit. My criteria for this list are: (1) The whiskey must be easily found on store shelves, no special releases. This excludes excellent Wild Turkey Masters Keep expressions I tried and rated this year, though they are worth buying if you see them. (2) Every dram on my list costs $80 or less. Everyone should be able to taste great whiskey, and my definition of "great" might differ from others, but that's the fun of it. (3) I had to have tasted it in 2020; none were released this year, but this is when I got around to them. Coming in at #3 is likely the most unique entry on my list this year. MGP juice, once looked down upon, is now desirable in its well-aged form, typically hitting its peak around 9-11 years. Some "craft" distilleries focusing on MGP product are really shining now, either by aging it longer, using unique cask finishes, or in this case, both. I wanted to include the Wild Turkey Masters Keep Revival, but it's a special release. This bottle is still easy to find and meets all the requirements for a finished bourbon. Finishing a bourbon in sherry casks differs from finishing Scotch, Irish, or Japanese whisky in sherry. With the latter, the sherry often dominates, creating a very sherry-forward experience. Since bourbon is a bolder spirit, I prefer the sherry to enhance and surround the bourbon's natural spicy, caramel notes, rather than overpower them. This bottle does that perfectly, presenting a mature, spicy MGP bourbon with oak notes, enveloped in a fruity, jammy sherry layer. You might finish this bottle quicker than you expect. At about $80, depending on your location, it's the priciest on my list this year. If that's too much, consider the equally great Belle Meade Cask Strength Reserve for about $20 less in your market. Cheers!

This is a whiskey for enthusiasts. First, the specifics. It's a 9-11 year old high-rye MGP bourbon (aged perfectly, in my view), then additionally finished in what I assume are high-quality, fresh Spanish Oloroso sherry casks, not tired used ones like some Scotch distilleries employ (ahem...Highland Park). I am reviewing batch 19-01, bottle 154 (I appreciate the details and transparency). There's a considerable amount of MGP bourbon available. Many new and craft distilleries utilize it, as do larger brands like Bulleit, and these folks at Nelson's Green Brier are using it. Some people are dismissive of sourced whiskey, but I've observed that every entity sourcing it adds their own touch, such as extended aging or a secondary finishing. If you've followed my reviews, you know I'm a significant sherry enthusiast, so this seemed like a fitting pairing. The nose is unexpected. While the sherry finish is detectable, with all the characteristic fruit and nut notes, the bourbon itself is not obscured. The rye spice is immediately apparent, but the sherry finish has essentially smoothed out the rough edges, creating balance and complementing the MGP bourbon rather than overpowering it; enhancing the overall experience. The taste is exceptional. All the buzz surrounding it is justified. Typically, a high-rye, well-aged bourbon makes a strong initial impression (consider Knob or Turkey). This would do the same if not for the sherry, which, again, complements and enhances the bourbon rather than masking it. The familiar caramel, vanilla, and rye spice are balanced by a fruity, velvety layer that initially puzzles the experienced palate, but repeated tastings reveal a unified composition blending the best of both traditional and modern methods. The lingering notes on the finish are reminiscent of raspberry dark chocolate ganache and caramel praline, with a subtle spicy sweetness that invites another sip. A finished bourbon isn't really an unusual concept. When early American settlers crafted rye and corn whiskies, they didn't always have access to new, charred oak barrels (that practice wasn't adopted until the late 1700s). Instead, settlers would use whatever barrels were available, often fortified wine casks from Spain and Portugal. In a way, this bourbon and its Madeira-finished counterpart offer a glimpse into what early American whiskey might have tasted like. That's quite possibly the most delicious history lesson I've encountered. Cheers to all!

This is the last entry in the cask finish competition. The Cognac and Madeira were both blends of 6-9 years, but this one is only 9-10 years old, with an age statement of 9 years. I'm not sure if it's the extra three years or the sherry finish, but wow, this is definitely better than the others, and I really liked the Madeira. It has a refinement and richness similar to high-end Scotch. The smooth, deep flavors are what set it apart. Poured neat, the nose has succulent fruits, light maple, and salted caramel, with some nuts and oak. The rye is present but not overpowering, and the ethanol is also in check. The palate is delicious, with dark fruit, maple fudge, melted toffee, oak, butter, and rye spice, all harmoniously combined in a way you have to taste to understand. This is bourbon for Scotch lovers. It tastes more like it was sourced from Glendronach than MGP. The finish is long, with the palate flavors remaining without becoming dry or bitter. Sweet toffee, some cigar leaf, and buttery oak linger for a long time. The overall experience is quite impressive. There's no question about buying a full bottle at the price ($70-80). I will have this again, as the cask finish BM has a unique profile and is well worth the standard offering. This sherry finish 9-year takes it to another level and is elite in my opinion......95/100... An easy recommendation and purchase, even with the lower proof... That's another thing; most of my top bourbons are high-proof bruisers, but this one doesn't need that to deliver the goods.

batch 18-12 bottle 1379 We might need to revisit batches for this one. This will be a prime example. Nose: Sweet, young fruit and brown sugars. Surprisingly sharp alcohol presence, which stings at 46%. Tart, tannic oak, very bitter; those oak notes are difficult to overcome. Raisins, dates, and various dark fruits with minimal sweetness dominate the mid to finish of the nose. No initial bourbon sweetness, but it's present, just hard to reach. Taste: Dry, bitter, intensely oaky, transitioning to more oak on the finish. Not the pleasant vanilla barrel oak, but more akin to a dry wooden plank. A faint, generic, and uninteresting sherry fruitiness emerges before the tannins take over. I would offer a more thorough review, but the oak is overwhelming. This is one of the least enjoyable finished bourbons I've encountered. A good whisky is buried within, but it's been ruined. My rating is 1 star. However, I believe some batches have less oak, which you might find more enjoyable. To be clear, this isn't the oakiness of aged spirits; it's over-oaked young oak, and I dislike that even more.

A potent nose for a 90 proof, featuring dried fruits (raisins, dates, figs), potpourri, walnuts, tobacco, pepper, and gentle, understated oak. No alcohol burn detected. Very inviting. The palate echoes the dried dates and raisins from the nose, joined by chocolate, marzipan, cinnamon, licorice, almonds, and toffee. The flavors are intricate and remarkably strong for the proof. The finish carries through elements from the palate. It's brief but memorable, with notes of chocolate, black cherry, moist pipe tobacco, leather, clove, and wine-infused oak. The low spice level allows the sherry finish to truly dominate. The mouthfeel is exceptionally full-bodied, with a drying finish. A distinctive and delightful spirit. You wouldn't guess it's 90 proof due to the depth and richness of its flavor. It's incredibly sherry-forward, which I found to be a positive. For $80, I have no regrets and would consider purchasing it again.