Review of Belmont Farm Distilling Whiskeys: Bourbon, Bonded Rye, Barrel Select & Special Reserve

 

 

There is an interesting (and true) history to Belmont Farm Distillery. A Catholic church was partially destroyed by fire. What remained was salvaged and used to build the distillery! And, while nearly every distiller purports to have at least one grandpappy who was a moonshiner, Chuck Miller, the owner and master distiller, really did. So much so that the copper pot still, built in 1933, was confiscated by the US government when it was discovered, covered in weeds, on federal land near Charlottesville, Virginia. The still was donated back to Belmont Farm and is in use today.

 

Belmont Farm claims to be America’s first craft whiskey distillery. I cannot confirm or deny that statement, mostly because “craft” is not legally defined, and other distilleries, including those in Virginia, make similar claims.

 

“For more than four centuries our forefathers have been producing fresh whiskey in the hills of Virginia. Now, for the last 30 years, this once elusive drink is available for all to enjoy.

Until 30 years ago, whiskey for popular consumption, had been made in column stills, handling thousands of gallons per hour. Only at Belmont Farm, our whiskey is produced in a genuine solid copper pot still. While others may be flooding the market, our pot still whiskey is slow and handled with care, to preserve all of the aroma and taste of a fine fresh whiskey. Our copper pot still is truly the secret of our whiskey.” – Belmont Farm Distillery

 

Founded in 1988 by Chuck and Jeanette on their 198-acre family farm in Culpepper, Virginia, they wanted to resurrect the old ways of moonshining while creatively innovating new ways to make whiskey. They’re big on agricultural and whiskey education and community engagement.

 

Belmont Farm is a true grain-to-glass distillery. They grow, harvest, store, grind, and mill their corn, wheat, and barley. The rye comes from a local farmer. The yeast is prepared onsite in a steel tank, and the mash is fermented for 4 days before distillation in the 3000-gallon copper pot still, paired with a doubler, using a triple distillation method. The whiskey is aged in on-premises warehouses, and they also do their own bottling. In 2022, Chuck and Jeanette added a brewery to the operation.

 

Today, we’ll explore four of Belmont Farm’s whiskeys (and there are several others): Kopper Kettle Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Bonded Rye Whiskey, Bonded Barrel Select Virginia Whiskey, and its 10-Year Special Reserve. The latter two are considered American Whiskeys because, while they’re made like Bourbon, Belmont Farm mingles Virginia white oak and Virginia apple wood for two months before aging, which negates the Bourbon label.

 

Before we #DrinkCurious, I must thank Belmont Farms Distillery for providing me with these samples in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews. Also, I used a fresh Glencairn nosing glass for each pour and allowed the whiskeys to breathe for 15 minutes.

 

Shall we get on with it?

 

Kopper Kettle Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Belmont Farm Distillery
• Age: 4 years
• Mashbill: 60% corn, 20% wheat, and 20% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak Speyside Cooperage barrels
• Alcohol Content: 46% ABV (92°)
• Price per 750mL: $26.99

 

Appearance: The ginger color made this Bourbon look older than its stated age. A medium rim held onto sticky, small droplets after releasing thick, fast, tightly-packed tears.

 

Nose: The aroma was very bold with oak, dried tobacco leaf, nutmeg, clove, and brown sugar. It took closer to 25 minutes to acclimate fully. When I took the air into my mouth, I experienced an herbal quality that I couldn’t quite nail down.

 

Palate: The first sip revealed a thick, oily texture, with a brown-sugar palate shock. The second allowed me to discern tobacco, caramel, and old leather on the front, while the middle included gingerbread, cumin, and nutmeg. On the back, I tasted black coffee, black tea, and charred oak.

 

Finish: Black coffee, tea, cumin, gingerbread, tobacco, and oak held on for dear life. The finish was level and less intense than the original palate shock. There was a deep, earthy quality to it as well, reminding me of umami. There was a slight sizzling sensation on the tip of my tongue. The duration weighed in at 1:18.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Any Bourbon bottled at more than 86° selling for roughly $25.00 is reasonably priced. The nose was strange (that’s the best word I can come up with). I jotted down my notes, handed the glass to Mrs. Whiskeyfellow to get her input, and she handed it back to me without comment. That had me nervous.

 

When I pick barrels, one of the things I’ve learned is that if a whiskey smells off-putting, chances are it is going to taste good. That sounds weird, right? I don’t understand the science behind it because if food has an unattractive smell, it isn’t even going in my mouth! Yet, I found Kopper Kettle Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey flavorful in a nice way, and given the price, my Bottle rating seems appropriate.

 

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Kopper Kettle Barrel Select Bonded Rye Whiskey

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Bottled-in-Bond Rye
• Distiller: Belmont Farm Distillery
• Age: 4 years
• Mashbill: 60% rye, 20% corn, and 20% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak Speyside Cooperage barrels
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 750mL: $28.50

 

Appearance: This Bonded Rye possessed a burnt orange color. It formed a medium rim with slow, thick, syrupy tears.

 

Nose: I smelled rye spice, clove, cinnamon, corn, and lightly charred oak. When I pulled the air through my lips, I tasted caramel and rye spice.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was thin and silky; there wasn’t anything I could describe as a palate shock. It also lacked warmth, which was interesting considering its proof.

 

On the front of my palate, I found notes of caramel, nutmeg, and cocoa. My mid-palate plucked roasted hazelnuts, rye spice, and floral rye, while the back featured charred oak, dried tobacco leaf, and muted leather.

 

Finish: Dried tobacco leaf, charred oak, rye spice, roasted hazelnuts, and cocoa were easily identified on my tongue and throat. It had quite a bit of oakiness as well. Like the first sip, there was a lack of warmth. It was mostly a soft, level finish that lasted 1:21.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: This was an unusual sipping experience for sure. I’ve had more than my fair share of Bonded Ryes over the years, and this was an outlier. To have both floral rye and rye spice in the same pour is unexpected. I was shocked at how many points below its stated proof this drank. Is it good? Yes. Is it only $28.50? Also, yes. I can’t find a reason not to give it a Bottle rating.

 

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Kopper Kettle Barrel Select Bonded Virginia Whiskey

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Bottled-in-Bond American Whiskey
• Distiller: Belmont Farm Distillery
• Age: 6 years
• Mashbill: 60% corn, 20% wheat, and 20% malted barley
• Cooperage: Apple wood and new, 53-gallon charred oak Speyside Cooperage barrels
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 750mL: $34.99

 

Appearance: Harvest gold is about the best descriptor I can provide for this whiskey’s color. It formed a medium-thick rim with thicker, crazed tears.

 

Nose: When I brought the glass beneath my nostrils and inhaled, I discovered the apple wood’s influence. There were also notes of honey, alfalfa hay, oak, and cinnamon. In my mouth, the air resembled crisp apples.

 

Palate: With the first sip, this whiskey’s texture was thick, creamy, and somewhat warming, with a big blast of baked apples. The second revealed apples, cinnamon, and orange pith on the front of my palate. The middle included flavors of strawberries, fresh leather, and raw almonds. White pepper, oak tannins, and vanilla formed the back.

 

Finish: Cinnamon and oak tannins took center stage, with baked apples, strawberries, and leather waiting in the wings. It was dry, and while it started spicy, the fruity notes tamed them significantly. Lasting only 40 seconds, it wasn’t the longest finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Cutting to the chase, I really, really enjoyed this pour. The apple wood gave Belmont Farm’s Bourbon mash something to embrace, and, in turn, I returned the gesture. I wish it had a longer finish, but ce la vie. I’ll go on to say that Kopper Kettle Bonded Virginia Whiskey is one heck of a bargain, and withholding my Bottle rating would be criminal.

 

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Kopper Kettle 10-Year Special Reserve

 

• Whiskey Type: Single Barrel American Whiskey
• Distiller: Belmont Farm Distillery
• Age: 10 years
• Mashbill: 60% corn, 20% wheat, and 20% malted barley
• Cooperage: Apple wood and new, 53-gallon charred oak Speyside Cooperage barrel (single barrel)
• Alcohol Content: 58% ABV (116°)
• Price per 750mL: $79.99

 

Appearance: The Special Reserve looked like liquid topaz. The very thin rim released thick, widely spaced, crazed tears.

 

Nose: The nose was enchanting. I smelled stewed peaches, baked apples, caramel, mild cinnamon, vanilla, and lightly-charred oak. Taking the vapor through my lips brought sweet, thick caramel.

 

Palate: Special Reserve had a medium weight and a creamy mouthfeel, with a spicy palate shock. The second sip revealed brown sugar, vanilla, and apple crisps on the front. My mid-palate identified dark chocolate, dry oak, and dried tobacco, while the back included clove, hazelnuts, and

 

Finish: Dark chocolate, hazelnuts, tobacco, clove, brown sugar, and dry oak remained. It began spicy and then quickly moved to sweet brown sugar. The overall duration was 1:06.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: While the best part of this whiskey was the nosing, the palate wasn’t far behind. It was well-balanced once you got past the initial palate shock, and was very characterful. Sweet, savory, and spicy flavors came together, keeping my brain wondering what was in the glass. I call that an attention-getter.

 

Special Reserve also drank nowhere near its stated proof. It was warmer than the Barrel Select, but not significantly. There was also less of an apple wood influence. I loved what was in my glass; I believe you will, too. My Bottle rating is well-warranted.

 

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Final Thoughts: Nobody will ever accuse Belmont Farm Distillery of getting into the cash-grab game. Their whiskeys are incredibly affordable for what they are. Frankly, they could charge more, and I wouldn’t blink an eye; however, I also suspect that’s part of the Miller’s charm and business plan.

 

There’s also no evidence of a “me-too” whiskey. What Belmont Farm offers is unique through and through. Is it due to Grandpa Miller’s secret recipe? Is it terroir? I can’t answer that, but I enjoyed the completely new experience. I have lots of kudos for the talent and love that go into each bottle.

 

While all were good, the two standouts were both American Whiskeys. Which did I prefer? That’s hard to say. The nose on the Special Reserve locked me in, yet the Barrel Select was perfectly proofed. You couldn’t go wrong with either, and if you consider that you can get the other three for almost the same price as one of the Special Reserve, I would opt for the Barrel Select. Cheers! 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.