The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Belle Meade Bourbon Reserve
BourbonIssue 37

Belle Meade Bourbon Reserve

Belle Meade · Nelson's Green Brier Distillery

$63108.3 proofNASNashville, Tennessee, USA
Belle Meade Reserve is Nelson's Green Brier at its most confident — proof-forward bourbon that never bullies the palate. The mash bill's corn-rye balance is on full display, making this an ideal study in how high proof can amplify rather than obscure complexity.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Upfront butterscotch and toasted pecan give way to ripe red apple and a whiff of dried corn husk. A secondary wave of leather and brown spices emerges as the glass opens, with faint floral carnation underneath.

Palate

Full-bodied entry with dense caramel and charred oak that frames a core of rye spice and dark cocoa. Mid-palate, maple syrup sweetness surfaces alongside chewy tobacco leaf. The high proof carries without burning, distributing flavor evenly across the tongue.

Finish

Long and warming with lingering charred oak, pecan, and a dry rye-spice fade. A final echo of vanilla anchors the close.

Specifications
Mash Bill
Varies by batch. Sourced.
Barrel Type
New charred American Oak
Bottled in Bond
No
Single Barrel
No
Wheated
No
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Nashville Old Fashioned — 2 oz Belle Meade Reserve · 0.25 oz sorghum syrup · 3 dashes Angostura bitters · Stir over a large ice cube, express an orange peel over the surface.

Food Pairing

Smoked pork belly with peach chutney

The Story

Revived in 2014 by brothers Andy and Charlie Nelson, Nashville's Green Brier Distillery resurrects a pre-Prohibition family legacy with this cask-strength reserve bottling sourced from MGP while their own distillate matures.

Train These Aromas
Comments

Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

0 / 4,000

First-time comments are reviewed before appearing. Be kind, be specific, no spam.

More from Nelson's Green Brier Distillery
More Bourbon Reviews
Bluegrass Distillers Wheated Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
Bourbon

Bluegrass Distillers Wheated Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

Bluegrass Distillers

Bluegrass Distillers proves that discipline yields beauty. This bottled-in-bond wheated bourbon is a study in clarity through constraint—a small Lexington distillery working within the strictest federal standards to produce a whiskey that says exactly what it means and nothing more. At 100 proof, it delivers surprising depth without ever raising its voice.

$50100 proof
Legent Kentucky Straight Bourbon Partially Finished in Wine & Sherry Casks
Bourbon

Legent Kentucky Straight Bourbon Partially Finished in Wine & Sherry Casks

Legent

Legent represents a rare East-meets-West collaboration between Beam's master distiller Fred Noe and Suntory's chief blender Shinji Fukuyo, where the simple act of exposing bourbon to different cask atmospheres transforms the spirit entirely. The partial finishing in wine and sherry barrels allows air and wood to reshape a classic bourbon profile into something layered and cosmopolitan. A compelling expression of how environment—the breath between barrels—shapes what ends up in your glass.

$4094 proof
Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon

Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Rebel

Rebel 100 punches well above its price point. The wheated mash bill delivers a round, easygoing pour that rewards both neat sipping and cocktail use. A daily drinker that doesn't apologize for being accessible.

$23100 proof
Pinhook Bourbon War Vertical Series 7 Year
Bourbon

Pinhook Bourbon War Vertical Series 7 Year

Pinhook

Pinhook's vertical series concept — a different age each year from the same distillate — is a masterclass in transparency. This 7-year release hits a sweet spot where barrel influence and grain character are in full conversation. An honest bourbon that doesn't need gimmicks.

~$8095 proof