Belle Meade Sour Mash Straight Bourbon

Rating: 13/23 Nose: Some pleasant wood notes, and it's dusty. I'm detecting significant age from this. It has a sour mash character with a hint of orange zest. There are some subtle herbal notes I'm having trouble identifying. A touch of minerality, but not in an unpleasant way. It doesn't overwhelm with youthfulness or alcohol. A very well-balanced, dry bourbon aroma. Palate: It's a bit sweeter and lighter than the nose suggested. I'm getting surprising notes of candy corn mixed with orange slices, which at times creates an effect almost like sherbet. There's definitely some wood present. It's a nice, mellow layer, though it doesn't taste as mature as I anticipated. Plenty of spices emerge, with pepper, cinnamon, and ginger being the most prominent. I detect a bit of a bitter herbal flavor with a rye-like quality heading into that sour mash. The candy sweetness really thickens my saliva in contrast to the bitter, dry rye. This profile is certainly not balanced. I do taste minerality, but it's not too pronounced. Finish: Orange hard candy mixed with some bitter wood and spicy rye. None of the flavors are particularly strong, though. - Conclusion - This was quite surprising. It seems much more youthful than I expected, but it's somewhat enjoyable. Don't dismiss it outright. However, I would say that Elijah Craig Small Batch (15/23) is considerably superior. The Elijah Craig tastes older and more decadent, with a fuller profile and better balance and execution of flavor. I considered if this could be a good alternative to Russell's Reserve 10 (15-16/23) when I bought it, and the answer is NO! This is distinctly worse. Uncle Nearest 1856 (15/23) is definitely better than this, but not by a wide margin. While I can sip this, it's borderline. A 14 seemed too generous for a while, but I'm reconsidering it now. Should I rate it below a 13? It's particularly challenging to judge because I've made significant progress in clearing out most spirits scoring under a 13 from my collection. I.W. Harper 15 (14/23) is dry and spicy, but it tastes more cohesive than this. I don't think the difference is huge, but I might rate this down to a 12. It's a 12 or 13. I believe this could earn a 13, but I'll be re-evaluating it later. After more side-by-side comparisons, I am now seriously considering a 14 again, but I'm not confident. At times, this tastes about the same as the I.W. Harper, but other times it really doesn't. I think I need to stick with a 13 for now. I'm quite disappointed in the palate following such a pleasant nose. My expectations were high. This is acceptable, but definitely overpriced and difficult to savor.

My apologies for my extended silence over the past six and a half months. It's been a hectic period, leading to my decision to relocate back to Memphis. I aim to make up for it with a review of the very first spirit I sampled after setting up my new bar, and it's from Nashville, no less! (A substantial backlog will follow slowly). The aroma begins subtly but intensifies as it airs out: corn flakes and cherry, then a mineral note with a slight citrus touch. These sharper notes carry through to the palate. It's actually more sour than sweet, and initially, it barely registers as a bourbon to me. The familiar flavors are present, but you truly have to delve into them. Lemon oil gives way to a pleasing cinnamon bark undertone if you can find it, leading to a decent finish that only improves in sweetness. In terms of complexity, it's an excellent counterpoint to the "honeyed vanillas" likely already in your collection... This seems to be a somewhat technically crafted bourbon that succeeds in being "interesting," perhaps due to not being chill-filtered (who knows?), which in itself warrants a respectable score. However, I was anticipating it to be much more enjoyable, even considering it as a potential "house bourbon," but the sourness just doesn't sit right with me... Oh well. Now I'm back to proper liquor stores that aren't state-controlled, so I don't even care! 😉

I'm a fan of the Reserve version of this, but when I went to buy a new bottle, I saw the price had jumped from $53 to $70 in under a year. It's not surprising, given that the comparable Smoke Wagon is only slightly more expensive. So, I opted to try this version. It's produced in ultra-small batches from two different high-rye bourbons, at least 6 years old, resulting in a 30% rye product. The color is an attractive caramel. While the aroma is somewhat subdued, I enjoy the buttery caramel with a hint of spicy citrus in the background on the nose. It reminds me of a less intense version of E. T. Lee from when I could still get it. This expression truly stands out on the palate. Here comes an almost intense, rich, buttery caramel. The spicy citrus has been replaced by a touch of nutmeg and apple in the background, which isn't a negative. It has a thick mouthfeel, almost chewy and mouth-filling. The finish is long and complex, featuring nutty and oaky notes with hints of leather and spice. It's quite nice. In rating this at 3.75, I deducted.25 because of the understated nose. The Reserve is slightly older and has a more developed aroma.

Nose: Vanilla, baking spices, and tobacco on the nose. Palate: A strong vanilla presence on the palate mixes with a sugary sweetness. Touches of ripe apples and pears. Peanut shell notes emerge at the conclusion. Finish: The finish is likely the most significant drawback. It's brief and clean, with flavors fading to a faint echo of sweetness and a slight peppery sensation on the tongue, but nowhere else. I've just opened this bottle and am already pleasantly surprised by this whiskey. It was light, fruity, and quite sweet on the palate. In my view, it offered a welcome change from typical bourbon. Perhaps these factors contributed to a slightly higher score than I usually give. I'm a fan.

Aroma: Caramel, light oak, and spice Taste: Vanilla frosting with a touch of spice Finish: Brief, with a lingering sweetness This brand was introduced to revitalize a defunct distillery, but it has since ceased production. When Nelson's Green Brier Distillery was brought back, Belle Meade Bourbon was the flagship product. The bourbon is sourced from a favored distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, using a unique mix of different mash bills and yeast strains. What was once available across the country is now replaced by the updated Nelson Bros. brand. Beyond the sentimental value and historical significance, this pour offers an enjoyable drinking experience: light, straightforward, and sweet. The rye component provides a subtle warmth, but the dominant characteristic is its sweetness.

I'm definitely detecting some peaty qualities, somewhat like scotch. The nose has cherry, oak, and vanilla. The taste has cherry and light honey notes. The initial sip has a burst of complexity, but then the alcohol dominates the mid-to-end palate, effectively dulling the flavor. It certainly needs more time in the bottle, but my first impression is it might work well as a component in mixed drinks, like an Old Fashioned.