Belle Meade Bourbon Cognac Cask Finish

Bottled in 2016. The folks at Belle Meade were placing bets that the consumer will arrive at one of two conclusions when having this XO Cognac finish: Wow, there’s an interesting fruity and spicy sweetness to this bourbon that I don’t get with other bourbons. It must be the cognac influence. Or: Wow, this is a shit bourbon. It must be the shit bourbon they used. I arrived at the latter conclusion, and about half of this bottle found its way into the fire for cooking. And I don’t think any food I made with this was spectacular either. This isn’t supposed to happen at $80, but all the warning signs are there: NO AGE STATEMENT. Just put the age on the bottle. It doesn’t have to be a big font, and it doesn’t have to be a big number. No age statement whiskies just reek of trying to hide a scam. LOW ABV. If you are NAS, at least justify a higher price by making the product cask strength or at least 50% ABV. This 45.2% is sketchy for a $50+ bourbon. Drinking strength is nonsense, lowering the ABV is only for stretching the product to make more profit. Alcohol is a drug. No cocaine dealer will try to spin their cocaine content by saying it’s brought down to snorting strength. CASK FINISHING. This is new-age hip-hop whiskeymaking. When the marketer’s biggest point of emphasis is what they used to finish the whiskey, be suspicious. This is like a car being advertised for its chrome rims. At best, Belle Meade Cognac Cask Finish is not undrinkable whiskey. After about a year open, I think the finish finally integrated itself, and my last few sips of this bottle was just a sweet bourbon that was about as pleasant as Angel’s Envy Port Cask Finish, which is already overpriced for what it offers at $50. This is just horribly disappointing at $80. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost?: $60-100 How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $20

Cask no 4917 Bottle no 130 @ 116.5 proof Nose, doesn't jump like oloroso sherry finish but the cognac is an oh so sweet and nice addition on top of this already well thought out bourbon. This one isn't as in your face as the sherry nose, it's more balanced and complex, but a much nicer overall character. The front loads up nicely with cognac sweet grape then proceeds into some beautiful rye and bourbon notes, spicy yes but with a number of caramel candy and red fruits to go with the bourbon brown sugars and vanilla. Just a great texture, perhaps the higher proofed barreling than the sherry finish is what does the trick along with the high rye expression but this one stands out nicely as a well perceived and executed product. The fantastic tradeoff of a slightly less robust nose for a much bigger and bolder bourbon-rye body on the palate is easily a big win. Finishes like a nice barrel rye and bourbon with sweet heat, really I couldn't wait for the follow up sip, this was nearly the antithesis of the sherry Belle Meade that just gets you excited only to disappoint you in the end. For the bourbon and rye fans this is a definite recommend, the cognac is a 'just right' addition in the flavor spectrum and provides just the positive boost of sweet character that you would hope for from such an experiment. Count me as somewhat surprised after the sherry attempt, but a big thumbs up on this Belle Meade expression as a winner.

Got the three pack gift set of BM cask finishes. 375ml bottles for 89$ not a bad deal to try all 3. This is first up and you guessed it the lowest of the three. This is not a major demerit as its still quite good. Poured neat, nose is rich and sweet. Candy cigarettes , mini marshmallow and honey blend with a floral essence and waxed hardwoods. Glass at rest yields butterscotch and rye spice with just a pinch of dill. Palate is spicy rye with bullseye crème caramels and polished oak. The vanilla is robust and tasty. The floral vibe envelopes the whole experience and has cognac like qualities. Finish is drying oak, lingering vanilla and rose petals. It drinks a little hot for proof but I kinda like that anyway in a spicy bourbon such as this. Overall cask profile is not my first choice and doesn't warrant normal full bottle price tag for me(around$70). Glad I tried it, I like it a lot but not enough to buy it...........87/100.....if this was 40-50 id be all over it

Loving the initial notes on the nose and the cognac characteristics that arrive with it. On the nose: rye spice, strawberry, cherry, light fruit and vanilla. Taste is sweet and easy, but lacks character. The finish brings back the notes from the nose and compensates for the palate. Final Verdict: 7-7.5/10. It's a smooth, easy drink. If you have it at your bar, this may be a great whiskey to sip on with friends who are beginning to enjoy whiskey. If you don't have it, I don't see it being worth the 65-80 USD. Plenty bottles to choose over this for half the price. (frugal mcdougal)

Tasted as part of the cask finish 3x 375ml pack (Sherry, Madeira & Cognac.) I tend to be a purist and don't always enjoy cask finishes but Belle Meade has a way of making the cask finish shine while maintaining a balance with the bourbon. I prefer the sherry the most, then the maderia and then the cognac. All three are quite smooth. The sherry has a nice sweetness to it and is the most interesting. The maderia has an earthy flavor and a medium sweetness. The cognac is definitely the hottest of the three. $100 for 3x 375ml

375ml in a three-bottle special cask finish series box. Batch no. 18-04, bottle no. 1331. Actually a great deal at $99.99, as buying the three bottles in 750ml totals $225. Tasted all three in a row, Cognac-Madeira-Sherry. Neat in Glencairn at home. Nose has vanilla, orange peel, some nice sweet spice (if that's a thing). Taste brings out some oily notes from the cognac cask, grape must, candied orange peel, clove, apples. Lingering oil and spice. Nice. 1/30/20.