Uproxx: The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys of 2022
Whiskey is all about blending the old with a little bit of the new, and this incredibly comprehensive list from Zach Johnston at Uproxx does just that. Throughout the course of 2022, Johnston states that he sampled more than 1,500 different whiskeys and two of his top 100 happened to be part of our lil’ old Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery family: our new Nelsons Brothers Reserve Bourbon and an old favorite from the archives, a 12-year single barrel Belle Meade Bourbon. Here’s what Zach had to say about some of our finest:
#60 Nelson Brothers Reserve Bourbon
The Whiskey:
This new release from Nelson’s Green Brier is a big evolution for the brand. This high-rye bourbon is aged for four years before it’s masterfully blended into his expression. It’s then bottled without any fussing or meddling.
Tasting Notes:
A vanilla wafer with soft nougat greets you on the nose with a hint of burnt orange zest, Christmas cake, candied cherry, and a little bit of apple pie filling. The taste has a moment of grilled pineapple that leads to brandy-soaked dark chocolate-covered cherries with a supporting act of zucchini bread, pecan pie, and a whisper of lemon meringue pie — it’s kind of like being in an old-school diner. A mild dusting of white pepper ushers in the finish with a smooth green tea cut with menthol tobacco.
Bottom Line:
The Nelson Brothers hit it out of the park with their new line this year and this is the bottle to start with.
#24 Belle Meade Bourbon Single Barrel - Barrel 2947
The Whiskey:
This expression is all about the barrel-picking prowess of the team at Nelson Green Brier. Each of these barrels is hand-selected for its beauty and then bottled at cask strength to let that barrel shine through in the finished product.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with deep vanilla that mingles with hints of dark chocolate sugar cookies with a touch of mint and maybe a little dried ancho chili with a woody vibe. The palate centers the creamy vanilla while adding in cinnamon bark with notes of black pepper and floral honey moved into the background as a chocolate-mint espresso bean pops in. The end is long-ish and carries more of that vanilla cream while that cinnamon becomes slightly chewy like a Red Hot with a dried choco-mint tobacco buzz on the tip of the tongue and a lush feeling around.
Bottom Line:
This throwback to the early days of Belle Meade is proof positive of
Check out the full list here >
High praise from a guy who certainly knows his stuff!!
the greatness of the team behind Nelson’s Green Brier.