Belle Meade Reserve

Small Batch | High Rye | 108.3 Proof | 7 - 11 years | Not Chill Filtered

This is a delicious bourbon that’s well-balanced but wields sufficient proof and distinct notes to be seriously interesting. It bursts with cherry, cinnamon, and velvety vanilla. Buy this, drink this, and share it with others.

Belle Meade Reserve is the premium expression of Belle Meade’s bourbon. Each batch of this high-proof bourbon comprises barrels selected to achieve an exceptional and unique experience. This bourbon was previously billed as cask strength and had more variation in proof and flavor from batch to batch; in its current form, Reserve comes in at 108.3 proof. It’s what Belle Meade considers the proof point for what they want to get out of this high-rye MGP distillate.

The first notable characteristic about this bourbon is how evenly it coats the glass. When swirled around, Reserve splashes up the sides of the glass and leaves a lustrous coating. The coating remains uniform and smooth between the top of the pour and the razor thin line along its peaks on the sides of the glass.

On the nose, the ethanol is faint and doesn’t come anywhere near overpowering the strong scents of cherry and cinnamon. These notes are present on the palate and are accompanied by vanilla and a hint of caramel. The smooth velvet characteristics apparent in the pour carry through to the palate as well. Reserve finishes with a rye spiciness and delicate bite without any burn whatsoever. This is one of the best balanced and overall most enjoyable bourbons I’ve had this year. I guess this proves Belle Meade’s point that the former heterogeneous batches were mere predecessors to this well-developed and consistent blend.

8 - I would absolutely buy another bottle of this. I don’t have a backup, so I’ll snag one the next time I see it on the shelf.

• Glassware - Glencairn

• Rested - 15 minutes

• Bottle opened - 4-5 weeks ago

• Setting - dimly lit living room, evening, scents of Thanksgiving prep-cooking faint in the air

• Listening to - “Estamos Bien” - Bad Bunny