Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington
Belle Meade Reserve Bourbon
Bourbon — USA
Reviewed
March 11, 2021 (edited June 8, 2021)
This has been around my area between $65-75. Sadly I paid on the higher end. This is a neck pour following my 5y MGP SAOS pour. Color is a comparable burnt orange. Going into this, the SAOS Is the higher proof and cheaper option while this sits a few proof higher and only a few dollars less than Remus Reserve. So...
Nose is more peanut brittle, ethanol, dusty leather boots, dill, oak, clove
The mouthfeel is silky and the flavors rolls along gently, starting with vanilla and then peanut brittle and subtle clove with relatively little dill or oak (rather un-MGP).
Dang, now I realize this should have been tasted first. There’s nothing to dislike but the difference in proof from the 120 of the 5y SAOS certainly leaves this one lacking complexity. This is sweeter, but less fruity. The spice is balanced, but not as unique. The finish is relatively flat and there are no surprises. This would be one hell of a $40-50 bottle but at $65+ I feel relatively, but not absolutely, disappointed. Will update once I can try this as a first pour and see if score comes up.
70.0
USD
per
Bottle
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I have not met a Belle I did not adore...
@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington I will Roger that and pour myself some tomorrow night. Spring is the best time in Texas! Cheers!
@WhiskeyLonghorn as I come back to this as a first pour of the evening I do get more spice and charred oak but less outright anise or dill than Remus. Goes very well with cool spring air.
@DigitalArc I believe the 3 pack is alive and well at my local Liquor Barn and if that’s the last of them it would be a shame! I’m very fond of their 9y Sherry finish.
@DigitalArc thanks also for that update on the finished whiskeys. I have one bottle of the Cask Select Sherry Finish and its crazy good. Much better than the standard, but I like that and have been wondering too why I can't find it. I'll give their regular bourbon a go, but honestly the ones I'll miss are the finished expressions.
@DigitalArc thanks for the tip on the cask finishes. I was wondering why I could only find the Madeira finish on shelves (not a big seller apparently). Glad I got to try the sherry finish when I did. As for the Reserve, I just picked this up a few weeks back and I quite enjoy it so far. Good MGP rye spice, and it’s opening up in the bottle nicely. Review coming...soon.
I've skipped on this one and the standard BM bourbon primarily because their finished cask expressions were so tasty. But after writing to the distillery, I've found out that they have transitioned sales of the finished cask series to distillery-only sales! Rather than pay secondary prices on those, it looks like I'll have to give this one a try. @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington Thanks for the review!