Aged Kentucky bourbon finished in honey casks. Part of Belle Meade’s Craftsman Cask Collection an ongoing series exploring how unconventional finishing casks transform a well-aged bourbon base.

Belle Meade Bourbon is produced by Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville, Tennessee a revival of a family distilling legacy that dates to the Civil War era. The Craftsman Cask Collection is Belle Meade’s experimental finishing program, releasing small batches of their sourced, barrel-strength bourbon after periods in specialty secondary casks. The Honey Cask Finish uses casks that previously held honey, imparting a distinctive floral sweetness and mead-like character to the finished bourbon.

Honey cask finishing is among the more unusual treatments in the craft bourbon space honey residue in the wood contributes sweetness, floral notes, and a light beeswax character without tipping the bourbon into a flavored whiskey. The base bourbon retains its character while gaining new dimensions from the cask treatment.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Deep amber with warm golden highlights.
• Aroma: Honey, wildflowers, vanilla, and warm caramel the honey cask influence is immediately apparent on the nose.
• Palate: Smooth and rich the honey sweetness integrates with the bourbon’s caramel and grain character, adding floral complexity and a light beeswax note.
• Finish: Long and warming honey and vanilla fading into gentle oak spice.

Specs

• Producer: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery, Nashville, Tennessee
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Honey Cask Finish
• Series: Craftsman Cask Collection
• Size: 750ml

Explore all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is honey cask finishing the same as honey-flavored whiskey? No. Honey-flavored whiskeys have honey or honey extract added to the finished spirit. Honey cask finishing uses barrels that previously held honey the residue in the wood imparts honey character to the bourbon naturally during maturation, without any additives. The result is a genuine finishing technique, not a flavoring.
• What is the Belle Meade Craftsman Cask Collection? The Craftsman Cask Collection is Belle Meade’s rotating series of specialty-finished bourbons, each using a different secondary cask sherry, cognac, port, honey, and others. Each release is limited and reflects the specific character of that finishing cask.
• Who makes Belle Meade Bourbon? Belle Meade is produced by Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville, founded by the Nelson brothers as a revival of their great-great-great-grandfather’s pre-Prohibition distillery. The brand sources high-quality Kentucky bourbon and finishes it in Nashville.
• Is the Honey Cask Finish a limited release? Yes Craftsman Cask Collection releases are produced in small batches and not continuously available.

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [ { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Is honey cask finishing the same as honey-flavored whiskey?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “No. Honey cask finishing uses barrels that previously held honey residue in the wood imparts honey character naturally. No additives are used. It is a genuine finishing technique, not a flavoring.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What is the Belle Meade Craftsman Cask Collection?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “A rotating series of specialty-finished bourbons, each using a different secondary cask sherry, cognac, port, honey, and others. Each release is limited.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Who makes Belle Meade Bourbon?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Belle Meade is produced by Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville, a revival of the Nelson family’s pre-Prohibition distillery. The brand sources Kentucky bourbon and finishes it in Nashville.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Is the Honey Cask Finish a limited release?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Yes Craftsman Cask Collection releases are produced in small batches and not continuously available.” } } ]}