Belle Meade Mourvèdre Cask Finish Single Cask

BourbonReviewsMGPBelle Meade

Nov 4

Written By David Levine

*Photo from Belle Meade’s Craftsman Collection website.*

Belle Meade Mourvèdre Cask Finish Single Cask

Belle Meade finished in Mourvèdre Wine Casks

MGP, Cask #4201

50.8% ABV/101.6 Proof

Eye: Orange-hued amber, medium rims and slow droplet legs.

Nose: Strong sweet wine influence right up front, yet feels pretty light. Mild peppery oak dryness. Nose ends up feeling muted.

Palate: The wine is very strong, totally overwhelming the bourbon. Sweet, oaky tannins make this astringent and mouthwatering. Minty cola syrup. Bourbon is almost entirely absent. Mouthfeel is a little thin and quite tannic.

Finish: Like a sweet but tannic red wine.

Overall: While relatively tasty, the finish completely masks the bourbon. Unlike the cognac finish, this isn’t close to being balanced, and unfortunately a promising flavor profile from the wine simply overpowers the bourbon at every turn.

Rating: 5.8

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)