Belle Meade XO Cognac Finish Bourbon Enthusiast Pick

Belle Meade XO Cognac Finish Bourbon Enthusiast Pick

Belle Meade

MGP, Cask #5444, Bottle 19

57.55% ABV/115.1 Proof

Eye: Coppered maple syrup, thin rims and barely any legs.

Nose: Pleasantly sweet bourbon nose. There’s sweetness from the cognac, but not a grape sweetness…perhaps only a slight wine richness.

Palate: Hot up front, but there’s tons of flavor that comes along with it. The sweet, corny bourbon brings heavy vanilla flavors while the cognac adds richness and syrupy sweetness. The heat gradually reduces, but never quits. Second sip opens up red fruits, plums, and spiced mulled wine. Mouthfeel is rich and syrupy, with the proof mellowing just enough to add rather than detract from the flavors.

Finish: Rich, fruity, prickly, and sweet. Milk chocolate opens up after a little while.

Overall: The cognac plays its part very well here, adding texture, richness, and wine flavors that played beautifully against the corn-forward bourbon. While not perfectly balanced overall, it’s certainly well-balanced. I might not hunt for this, but I’d be quite happy with it as a gift.

Rating: 7.1

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)

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