Belle Meade Sour Mash Straight Bourbon

Belle Meade has become one of my favorite go to distilleries. This is my first bottle of the sour mash. Nose is sweet like southern candied yams. Taste is full bodied honey and cinnamon forward with a red hot burn that lingers to an almost creamy smooth finish. Not my favorite BM product, but still a nice dram.

Belle Meade Bourbon APPEARANCE: I like the classic looking bottle shape and label. It's fairly light in color and clings like glue to the sides of the Glencairn with fat slow moving legs. NOSE: Complex. Shapeshifting. Initial impression is Woody, Dry, Spicy, and Floral. Freshly Peeled Orange, Dried Corn, Cedar, Bubble Gum, and Chocolate all take a turn. This is one of those I could nose all day. The Orange note eventually takes center stage. The empty glass is sweet hay that transitions to milk chocolate. If the palate lives up to the nose, this one is special. NEAT: Drying Oak, Orange Peel, and Tingling Black Pepper Spice dominate the first few sips. Slightly Oily, Coating mouthfeel. There is a Bubble Gum sweetness, mild at first but growing stronger the more time you spend with it. It has a Spicy, Slightly Astringent finish with Orange Peel, Cocoa and Cedar coating the palate. A mild Building KY Hug blooms in the chest. SPLASH: Ups the complexity. The Oak on the palate becomes sweeter, the astringency mostly gone now. There are Floral notes and some Vanilla finally emerges and combines with the citrus to form Orange Creamsicle. The Oak and Black Pepper continue to layer on the palate with each sip. Verdict: I really like this one. Unique profile. It starts dry and spicy, then transitions to a Citrus/Floral sweet if you give it time to develop. I hesitated to spend the $50 on this, but I'm glad I did. This is definitely going into heavy rotation.

Extremely balanced, sweet up front with spice on the medium finish. Great “all around” bourbon

Smooth on the tongue with a slight build of heat that lingers but does not overpower the experience. Mellow slight vanilla undertone which leaves your mouth watering for the next...😉😏