Is Belle Meade Bourbon discontinued? One of the most popular bourbons, Belle Meade, is being discontinued. There has been a mad rush to find smooth, delectable bourbon bottles due to the shocking news.
Due to the use of Tennessee limestone-filtered water and a specific yeast strain, Belle Meade is renowned for its distinctive flavor character. The whisky is matured in fresh, charred American white oak barrels for at least nine years. Although no official statement has been made, it is assumed that Sazerac, the distillery’s new owners, decided to drop Belle Meade. Sazerac has not addressed the rumors.
Belle Meade’s return to the market is expected to excite bourbon fans. But for now, they’ll have to enjoy it while they can. Let us know more about it in this article.
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History of the brand
Belle Meade is a brand that Charles Nelson once brought back to life. It happened after a fire destroyed the original producers. Then, it was lost with the onset of Prohibition until Charlie and Andy Nelson brought it back in 2012. Now, it is going to be discontinued and marketed nationally. The product will no longer be distributed nationally and only be offered in Tennessee.
The Nelson brothers started to develop their brand to resurrect their great-great grandfather’s wheat Tennessee whisky. They used an almost mirror image of the original Belle Meade emblem discovered in an old newspaper poster from May 1, 1885. It was to bring the company back to life.
The distillate for this brand came from Midwest Grain Products (MGP). It occasionally incorporated other finishes in barrels, like Cognac, sherry, and honey. The history of the Nelson family is directly related to the Belle Meade brand.
The Belle Meade Distillery in Nashville, Tennessee, manufactured the bourbon under the name Belle Meade. Sperry Wade and Company owned it. Charles Nelson’s Green Brier distillery didn’t make Belle Meade, but Sperry Wade hired him to market it on their behalf. All that changed in 1880 when Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery took over production after the Belle Meade Distillery burned down.
Two horses were shown on the label. One of them was Bonnie Scotland, a thoroughbred with Northern Dancer ancestry.
A newer bourbon brand, Belle Meade Bourbon, was introduced in 2013. At first glance, it seems innovative. As you may know, Belle Meade is a legendary whisky brand that was last sold in 1909 and used to be produced in Tennessee.
In 2013, Andy and Charlie Nelson founded Nelson’s Green Brier. It was created to produce award-winning craft Tennessee whisky under the Belle MeadeTM Bourbon brand. Later this year, the distillery will make Tennessee whisky available.
Belle Meade Bourbon: Is it Allocated?
Yes, Belle Meade whisky has a limited supply. It implies that it is not always available for sale. Thus, there might be restrictions on how much can be bought when a distillery releases a small quantity of a product, usually because there is a high demand but a small supply; this is known as an allocation.
It is a Belle Meade-created blend with a high rye content intended to create a versatile Bourbon. It is outstanding whether served neat, with a splash of water, or on the rocks. It shines when served neat, in addition to being impressive in a well-made cocktail. It has a unique combination of yeast strains and mash bills. The wine should never be chilled and fried.
Small-batch Belle Meade Bourbon Barrel Select is produced from MGP barrels that are 6–8 years old. The 12- to 15-year-old barrels used in MGP’s flagship bourbon, Belle Meade Bourbon County Brand, were combined. Bottle sizes for Belle Meade Bourbon are 750 ml and 375 ml.
Replacement for Belle Meade
Nelson Brothers Whisky, which comes in “Classic” and “Reserve” lines, will take the position of Belle Meade in the national market.
The classic line will be created with a high rye-to-bourbon mash bill and matured in brand-new charred oak barrels. It will be 93.3 proof (46.65% alcohol by volume).
According to the distillery, cherry, milk chocolate, candied apples, spice cake, and vanilla may be detected on the nose. With the addition of banana bread and dried pineapple, the aroma of chocolate and cherries will also linger. It is said to end with spearmint replacing high rye, lemon peel, tobacco, and black peppercorn.
The “Reserve” will offer a stronger option with a proof of 107.8 (53.9% alcohol by volume). According to the distillery, the nose will have cherry, mint, maple syrup, and cinnamon notes. The cherry will stick around the palate along with caramel, hazelnut, and allspice. With cherry, chocolate, and more allspice, the aftertaste is earthy.
The names of the Nelson brothers will appear on the new packaging. Thus, it is drawing attention to the Nelson name and its history. According to reports, the substance inside is still the same batch of bourbon previously sold under the Belle Meade name.
It is unknown if the company will continue to sell finished goods or individual barrels of their Belle Meade substitute in this new line.
This modification will give Green Brier more attention than Belle Meade, a different brand. The Belle Meade brand is available on a different website than the distillery’s products. The corporation will be able to consolidate due to this. The Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery website already has information about the upcoming Nelson Brothers Whisky.
Conclusion
Belle Meade has a sizable fan base, so as the company starts to roll out its new range, it is anticipated that the inventory that is still on the shelves will start to go.
Belle Meade will remain accessible but in a much more constrained market. It will only be offered in the Tennessee market rather than being offered nationally. These are all making it more difficult for brand fans to get it.
