Nelson's Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey

This is my first Tennessee Whiskey after Jack, so I'm still learning the style. But after almost polishing off a full bottle, I've really come to love the style. This whiskey opens up with a strong green apple, maple, and caramel nose, along with some bready doughy notes. It does hit you strong with the ethanol, but that disappears after a minute or two. For a whiskey that I've been mostly drinking on the rocks in a rocks glass, smelling the remainder in the bottle gives it room for the alcohol to dissipate and allow the real notes to emerge. I'm shocked at the sweetness of the aroma. Not bourbon kind of sweet, more a caramel and apple sweetness. On the palate, it's harsh at 45.5%, but has a distinctly grainy, almost roasted note. It's smoothes out quick as you salivate, but really doesn't have an overwhelmingly strong profile. Reading another review, I'm noting that it's the wheat that's giving it the strong grainy, bready character, and the Lincoln County process giving it the maple sweetness. It is incredibly oaky, yet the wood still falls to the backdrop. Some light leather and peppery grass. The mouth feel is surprisingly thin, which is perhaps why it doesn't hold up too well with ice (it's been drinking very mild on the rocks). The finish is fairly boozy, but likewise dissipates quickly. Oak remains, along with some dry and not spicy black pepper, and a touch of leather. I'm not finding much apple in the finish, but overripe dehydrated apple skins are present in the finish for me. The finish is disproportionately dry to the nose and even the palate. Overall, it's very nice and far more interesting than Jack. However I'd love to expand my experience and knowledge of the style to better situate this among others.

Appearance: The bottle is beautifully shaped, designed in the pre-prohibition style. The label is supposed to be the original design from before the distillery was shut down during prohibition. The whiskey itself is dark amber in color. It does not say if any coloring is added to the whiskey, but regaurdless it is a very pleasing shade. Nose: This whiskey is like most Tenessee Whiskey (very similar to bourbon). You can get notes of vanilla, caramel, and light fruit. However, a very unique aspect of this whiskey is there is a very dominant note of banana bread. Personally, I love it and think it makes the nose of this whiskey rather fun and unique. Palate: Again, the classic Tennessee Whiskey (bourbon) notes are present. There is some vanilla, caramel, and fruit. My favorite aspect of the palate is the mid to finish of a dark chocolate which becomes an almost dark chocolate-covered cherry note. Summary: A very solid whiskey that I am a big fan of. It doesn't hurt that it is not available in my area and had to drive to Tennessee to get it. However, for $35 I feel you get all the classic tastes you would expect plus a few bonus unique aspects that make this a fun whiskey to sip on. Enjoy!

The nose opens up with oak and green apple along with subtle hints of smoke and dried flowers. The dominant note is definitely that of sweetness with maybe the slightest hint of spice as it opens up. The palate is very soft gives way to oak, pepper and caramel apple as it sticks to mostly the middle of the tongue and the sides of the mouth, making the mouthfeel a shortcoming. It isn't thin or rich, but it also isn't memorable with how simple the palate is and a lack of evolution from it. The finish is medium and slightly astringent with the sweetness not quite carrying over, neither does the oak. Everything seems to be quickly subdued, although there is a lingering pepperiness. With ice or in a cocktail this might be alright, but served straight as a sipping whiskey, there is more to be desired from this.

Nelson's Belle Meade bourbons I enjoy, especially the reserve. It's sourced from MGP so I was anxious to try their own distillate. The label shows two+ years of age so I am leary. Quick whiff on the pour and I get a hint of caramel and oak. As it sits in the glass it goes grassy. After 15 minutes it's heavy on yeast light on barrel, it's very grainy much like Boone County's 5 year pot still release. It's not bad, but I am not a fan. It reminds me of my standard complaint to most of the new craft players that rush to market with a product that's not ready for market. The finish is an overwhelming grain/mash/yeast amalgam that's not to my liking. I'll stick with Belle Meade

Runs hot but doesn't really have any of the unpleasant white lightning/moonshine flavors, probably owing to the charcoal filtering which is what separates a Tennessee whiskey from bourbon. Quite a bit of rye spice, maple wood smoke, caramel, vanilla buttercream, cinnamon, basil, baked apples, heavy charcoal dust, creamed corn, dried/mild plantains hang in the background and on the finish. Nicely balanced flavors and overall not bad. Improves with oxidation. Their Belle Meade bourbons are much better. Would recommend Russell's 10yr, Old Forester 1897, Michter's.

I enjoy trying new bourbons at our local bar and this was one I’ve never had. Had this in a glencairn glass neat. The nose was sweet but that was it. Almost like it wasn’t a bourbon but a brown liquid. The palate thin, sour, like drinking water purée through dirt. Just not drinkable. The finish was so fast it felt like all you tasted was the palate “dirt” you had before. Overall, no, don’t, just don’t. If someone puts this in front of you, I’d recommend to slowly step back and politely bring up a different bottle to drink. Scale: .25