Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve
Batch 20, Bottle 342
56.65% ABV
$55 – $75
Website
What the Producer Says
Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve is a premium full strength whiskey created to quench the growing demand for well-aged, higher proof bourbon.
We taste every barrel in our inventory and reserve the ones that taste good enough to be a Single Barrel but don’t have a high enough proof to be a Single Barrel. We batch these reserve barrels with others barrels in our inventory that raise the proof of the batch while accentuating the flavors of those reserve barrels. When blended together, these barrels of well-aged bourbon create a product that is greater than the sum of its individual parts.
Each small batch of our Reserve is comprised of just seven of these exceptional barrels.
Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve is a bold bourbon for those who appreciate whiskey straight from the barrel. Try it neat, on the rocks, with a splash of water, or use it to kick the flavor of your favorite cocktail up a few notches.
POINTS OF DIFFERENCE
Bottled at Cask Strength
Small batch: 7 exceptional barrels
Not Chill Filtered to retain maximum flavor
High-rye content
TASTING NOTES
While every batch is slightly different, all Belle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve is rich and full flavored. Showing vanilla, caramel, spice, and stone fruits.
What Gary Says
Nose: Oak prominent, slightly burnt caramel with a whiff of barbecue sauce, vanilla, spice, hint of molasses with a bit of burnt popcorn, fall leaves.
Palate: Rich and spicy with dark chocolate, nutty rye spice with walnuts, vanilla, cinnamon, pepper and oak.
Finish: Short to moderate in length, drying with chocolate and oak.
Comments: Another really solid bourbon – a tad hot on the nose and a bit more oak than I prefer. Definitely a step up from Belle Meade Bourbon. Water improves it quite a bit, tamping down the rough edges and bringing some fruity notes. I’d never argue for something to be bottled at a lower proof, but for my tastes – this really shines in the 100 to 105 proof range.