Belle Meade Bourbon Sherry Cask Finish is the bottle that helped put Nelson's Green Brier Distillery back on the map, a high rye bourbon finished in imported Oloroso sherry casks for added richness and depth. The Belle Meade name reaches back to one of 19th century Tennessee's most prominent whiskey families. Charles Nelson built a thriving distillery before Prohibition shuttered it, and more than a century later his descendants Andy and Charlie Nelson revived the family business in Nashville, releasing their first bourbon under the historic Belle Meade brand in 2013. For this expression, select barrels of well aged, high rye bourbon, roughly nine years old, are sampled from reserve stock and blended in small batches, then finished Scotch style in Oloroso sherry casks from Spain until the team judges it perfect. The mash bill is a spicy, robust 64 percent corn, 30 percent rye and 6 percent malted barley, and the whiskey is bottled at 90.4 proof and never chill filtered, preserving full texture and flavor. Each release is a numbered small batch, and this bottle comes from batch 12.10. It pours a deep dark caramel with ruby tinges and opens with sweet dried fruits, caramel and floral notes layered over oak and a whisper of smoke. The palate delivers rich dried stone fruit, raisin, allspice and brown sugar braided with signature rye spice, and the finish is long and lingering with toasted nuts, vanilla bread pudding and spiced cocoa. A San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold winner, it rewards slow sipping neat, drinks beautifully over a large cube, and adds depth to a stirred whiskey cocktail. For fans of both bourbon and sherried Scotch, this is a must try.
ABV / Proof
| Brand |
Belle Meade |
| Distillery |
Nelson's Green Brier Distillery (bottler); distilled at MGP, Indiana |
| Category |
Bourbon (Oloroso sherry cask finish) |
| Mashbill |
64% Corn, 30% Rye, 6% Malted Barley |
| Age |
Approx 9 years (no age statement) |
| Maturation |
New charred oak; finished in imported Oloroso sherry casks |
| Batch |
12.10 (numbered small batch) |
| ABV |
45.2% |
| Proof |
90.4 |
| Bottle Size |
750ml |
| Country |
United States |
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep dark caramel with ruby tinges.
Nose: Sweet dried fruits, caramel and floral notes over oak with a whisper of smoke.
Palate: Rich dried stone fruit, raisin, allspice and brown sugar braided with rye spice.
Finish: Long and lingering with toasted nuts, vanilla bread pudding and spiced cocoa.
FAQ
What makes Belle Meade Sherry Cask Finish different? It is a high rye bourbon, roughly nine years old, finished in imported Oloroso sherry casks for added dried fruit richness and complexity.
What proof is it? It is bottled at 45.2 percent alcohol by volume, which is 90.4 proof, and it is never chill filtered.
What is the mash bill? A high rye recipe of 64 percent corn, 30 percent rye and 6 percent malted barley.
Is this a batched release? Yes. It is blended and bottled in numbered small batches, so details can vary slightly batch to batch. This bottle is from batch 12.10.
How should I drink it? Neat, over a large cube, or in a stirred whiskey cocktail.
Where can I buy Belle Meade Bourbon Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
