Belle Meade Bourbon Reserve
Belle Meade · Nelson's Green Brier Distillery
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.
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.
- Mash Bill
- Varies by batch. Sourced.
- Barrel Type
- New charred American Oak
- Bottled in Bond
- No
- Single Barrel
- No
- Wheated
- No
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
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.
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