A few weeks ago while visiting a new-to-us liquor store, the proprietor asked my wife and me if we wanted to try a couple of Nelson Bros. products he had that were finished in wine casks. We tried both and ended up walking away with a bottle of Mourvèdre Cask finished bourbon. I didn’t even know at the time what Mourvèdre was, but I did enjoy the flavor that I was getting from my one small sample. Later research uncovered that it is a red wine grape grown in France, Spain, California, Washington, and Australia.
From the Nelson Bros. website, apparently this was a 2023 release in their “Cask Series,” using wine barrels from Withers Winery in the Sierra Foothills of California. It is bottled at 107.5 proof (53.75% ABV) and all of their Cask Series releases are limited in number of bottles and size of distribution.
The first thing I noticed about this was the dark amber color it has. This is almost certainly partially due to residual wine in the barrels used for finishing, and the same finishing period gives the bourbon an amazing nose featuring layers of oak, cherry, and hints of vanilla underneath. Taking a sip, the whiskey is bold and full, with a pronounced sweetness up front with black cherry leading the way, followed by a slow burn of cinnamon spice and pepper. The mouthfeel of this dram is oily and rich and it has a nice, long finish.
I had this with several cigars over the month or more that I’ve had the bottle, but I think the best bet is a medium-to-full Maduro that can stand up to the boldness of the bourbon, while offering up some of its own.
