Part 16 of the finished whiskey series takes a turn into new territory with a Belle Meade pick finished in XO Cognac casks. This pick is from The Bourbon Enthusiast who had previously picked an excellent Magnus single barrel. I like finished bourbon, cognac, Belle Meade and Bourbon Enthusiast so my hopes were pretty high for this pick. Let’s see if it held up.
Review #231 Belle Meade Select Cask XO Bourbon The Bourbon Enthusiast Selection
Age: NAS
Abv: 115.1 proof
Price: $90
Neat
Nose: Sweet berries, rich oak and vanilla notes.
Taste: More sweet berries, cherry, vanilla, caramel, subtler oak notes.
Finish: Long warm finish with baking spices, oak and subtler sweet caramel.
Conclusion
I was not disappointed. This was a great pick with just the right amount of influence from the finish. The cognac notes were very present without drowning out the MGP bourbon. The proof is in a great spot for me but it was very easy to drink without being thin or watery. Overall I was very happy with this pick and when I had a chance to grab a third bottle I jumped on it especially since these cask strength finished bourbons are moving to distillery only for the foreseeable future.
As far as -gnac finished bourbon goes this isn’t quite Cigar Blend level but it wasn’t far off either and was a lot more affordable!
TL;DR: Drinks well below its proof, Well balanced between the cognac notes and MGP notes.
9 - a favorite I always try to keep on my shelf
Great - A great deal, I’d buy it again
Scale
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