Belle Meade Bourbon Craftsman Cask Collection: Mourvedre Cask Finish Review
I was wowed by the Belle Meade Cognac cask finish bourbon released two years ago, but this exceeds that. When too many distilleries are using cask finishing to cover up flaws in subpar source material, Andy and Charlie Nelson are demonstrating their ample talents for using well-aged liquid.
BOTTLES DETAILS
- DISTILLER: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
- MASH BILL: MGP’s 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malt
- AGE: 10 years plus 148 days finishing in Mourvedre wine cask
- YEAR: 2018
- PROOF: 117.8 (58.9% ABV)
- MSRP: $150 (available at distillery only)
STEVE'S NOTES
NOSE: Lush, fruity, dried cherry and raspberry, donut, floral, grapey, toffee, dark caramel, milk chocolate, fruit cake | at 117.8 proof, its ample vapors summon your attention
TASTE: Leads with grapey-fruity notes from Mourvedre followed immediately by oak | classic bourbon notes bloom and take over at midpalate | toffee, caramel, dried fruit, demerara, loads going on here
FINISH: Long, warm, soothing and barely dry | easy sipping despite high proof
SHARE WITH: Any fan of brown spirits
WORTH THE PRICE: My 100ml bottle was a press sample that, believe it or not, was more than enough to sell me on the $150 bottle.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle certainly. Sadly, with such a limited 288-bottle release, you may never see it at a bar.
OVERALL: : I was wowed by the Belle Meade Cognac cask finish bourbon released two years ago, but this exceeds that. When too many distilleries are using cask finishing to cover up flaws in subpar source material, Andy and Charlie Nelson are demonstrating their ample talents for using well-aged liquid and amplifying it with cask finishing. I’m not the usual $150 bottle buyer, but I’d wait in line for this bourbon if I could. Problem is, it’s only available at the Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville. Buyers are limited to one bottle, but if someone could get two, drink one now and save the other, do it. This is too exciting a whiskey to shelve, but it’s also a whiskey to be saved for celebrations.
BRAND NOTES
TOTAL BOTTLED: 288 BOTTLES
PROOF: 117.8
TIME IN MOURVEDRE CASK: 148 DAYS
Belle Meade Bourbon Mourvèdre Cask Finish: Mourvèdre is one of the primary grapes grown by Withers Winery in the Sierra Foothills. Owner Andrew Tow has been a fan of Belle Meade Bourbon since day one, and when he sent Andy and Charlie a Mourvèdre cask, the brothers knew something special was about to happen. This 10-year-old Bourbon was rested 148 days in a single Mourvèdre cask for a smooth, round, and bursting-with-flavor cask finish. There are only 288 total bottles of this exclusive 117-proof Bourbon available, marking the launch of the Craftsman Cask Collection.
TASTING NOTES
- Nose: A robust nose of caramel, black cherry, cedar and floral notes.
- Palate: Full of black cherry, raspberry, vanilla, toasted oak, baking spices and currant.
- Finish: Very long and accentuated by baking spices and cedar atop a bed of dark fruit and caramel.
Disclaimer: Belle Meade Bourbon provided Bourbon & Banter with a sample of their product for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.