Tenn distillery finishes Bourbon in Cognac casks

The reopened Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville, Tennessee, has extended its Belle Meade Bourbon line with a Cognac cask finished expression.

Belle Meade Bourbon Cognac Cask Finish joins Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery’s range

Belle Meade Bourbon Cognac Cask Finish joins the distillery’s Belle Meade Bourbon Sherry Cask Finish in the range.

“Like any other ingredient, the finishing cask must be exceptional in order to achieve exceptional results,” said Charlie Nelson, co-founder and CEO of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery

“The search ended when we found a selection of casks made of French Limousin oak in which one of the world’s premier Fine Champagne XO Cognacs had been aged for 12 years. One smell told us that they held magnificent potential as finishing barrels for our Bourbon.”

Bourbon aged six to nine years with a high rye content of 30% was selected to fill the Cognac casks

Bottled at 90.4% proof (45.2% abv), Belle Meade Bourbon Cognac Cask Finish will be distributed across select US states.

Charlie Nelson and his brother revived Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in August 2014. The distillery was originally founded in 1860 by their great-great-great-grandfather, German immigrant Charles Nelson.

It was one of the largest whiskey distilleries in the US before a statewide Prohibition forced it to close in 1909.

In January this year, US drinks group Constellation Brands acquired a minority stake in Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery through its Constellation Ventures investment arm. The distillery continues to operate independently.