Charlie and Andy Nelson have been making and sourcing some good whiskey in Nashville, Tennessee at Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. This latest product is a sourced whiskey. I suspect the latter as they state that this is a blend of straight Bourbons. It is most likely a mix of Bourbons from at least two different distilleries. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is an age old tradition to do just that. George Garvin Brown sourced whiskey from three different distilleries to create the Old Forester brand in 1870. Most of the Willett brands were started as this type of whiskey as they sourced from several different distilleries in the late 20th century, before they were distilling themselves. The Nelson brothers are following an historic tradition and doing it well.
The Nelson Bros. Reserve Bourbon is masterfully blended. I have always respected the palates of the Nelson brothers. Their Belle Meade whiskeys have all been excellent products. In this whiskey, the brothers have proved that they don’t have to finish a Bourbon to make it an excellent drink of whiskey. We recently picked up a bottle of Nelson Bros. Reserve Bourbon and tasted it. Here are our tasting notes.
Nelson Bros. Reserve Bourbon
Proof: 107.8
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Rich caramel, pears, ginger and baking spices, oak wood.
- Matt: Caramel with a floral note of lilacs, ginger and baking spices with oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Buttery caramel, pears with ginger and nutmeg spice, oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and most of the flavors are washed out, leaving the spice and oak. Tasted with a pecan and the buttery caramel leads into notes of chocolate with baking spices and oak.
- Matt: Caramel and creamy notes of a latte coffee with cardamom and other baking spice, and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out notes of sour cherries and vanilla. The pecan brought out notes of dark chocolate, ginger and fresh mown grass.
Finish:
- Mike: Long with sweet oak wood, ginger spice and lingering fruit notes. The dried cranberry made the finish shorter with lots of spice and oak. The pecan made the finish very long with oak wood and ginger and black pepper spices.
- Matt: Long with oak wood and red pepper flakes. The dried cranberry shortened the finish and enhanced the red pepper flakes. The pecan made it a very long finish with oak, red pepper and lingering chocolate.
I would pair this fine Bourbon with a cigar with lots of vanilla and chocolate notes in the smoke. I would reach for a My Father The Judge cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller