Blue Note Cherry Wood Finish Bourbon Review

 

Blue Note has been making waves in the Wonderful World of Whiskey. Founded in 2013, B.R. Distilling Company is the oldest legal distillery in Memphis, Tennessee, and has two flagship brands:  Blue Note and Riverset Rye. B.R. Distilling changed ownership in 2017 and aggressively marketed its whiskeys.

 

B.R. Distilling Company looks to Bardstown Bourbon Company to handle the distillation of its Rye whiskeys and Green River Distilling Co. for its Bourbons. They then transport the barrels to Memphis, Tennessee, where those whiskeys mature in the humidity and heat.

 

Incidentally, one of my favorite things about Green River is that it offers delicious, high-quality whiskeys at lower-than-average prices. B.R. Distilling Company passes those qualities to consumers, which is greatly appreciated, and I give them kudos for not profiteering by unnecessarily jacking up prices.

 

Blue Note Cherry Wood Finish is its newest release. The Bourbon matured normally in new, 53-gallon charred oak barrels before going through a finishing cycle in wild-cherry wood casks from Jura. Most whiskey drinkers recognize Jura as a Scotch distillery. In this case, Jura refers to the region in Eastern France where the wild cherry trees grew. 

 

“With our new Cherry Cask, we set out to create something that honors the timeless character of great whiskey while introducing a fresh layer of complexity. The influence of the cherry cask nicely complements the whiskey’s natural richness while finishing the expression at cask strength helps preserve its underlying structure to balance the sweetness. It’s an elegant expression that offers whiskey enthusiasts something new to discover while remaining exceptionally approachable for those exploring premium whiskey for the first time.” - Dan Jurkovic, National Sales Director, B.R. Distilling Co.

 

Distilled from a mash of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley and packaged at its 60% ABV (120°) cask strength. It is unfiltered, and a 750mL bottle is available online via Seelbach’s and in the following U.S. states: GA, KS, KY, MI, MO, and TN.

 

B.R. Distilling suggests Blue Note Cherry Wood Finish is awesome. What does Whiskeyfellow say? To answer that, we’ll #DrinkCurious, thanks to the brand’s generosity in providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s do this!

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Green River Distilling Co.
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: 70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels, then finished in Jura cherry wood casks
• Alcohol Content: 60% ABV (120°)
• Price per 750mL: $64.99
• Unfiltered

 

Appearance: I poured Cherry Wood Finish into my Glencairn glass and sipped it neat. It possessed an orange-amber appearance, and the whiskey created a thin rim with thick, fast tears. Some were tightly packed while others had significant gaps.

 

Nose: After waiting for about 15 minutes, I began exploring the aroma. I smelled honey, cherries, chocolate, leather, mild oak, and buttered toast. When I took in the air through my lips, I tasted oak and leather.

 

Palate: I encountered a dense, incredibly sweet mouthfeel, almost like drinking from a jar of maraschino cherries on the first sip. With the second, I discovered notes of cherry pie filling, ripe plums, and semi-sweet chocolate on the front of my palate. The middle featured leather, pipe tobacco, and hazelnuts. The back was bold, with black pepper, clove, and moisture-sucking oak.

 

Finish: Black pepper, clove, arid oak, hazelnuts, older leather, and cherry pie filling coated my tongue and throat. The finish started spicy and finished sweet, which threw me off. It was even-keeled and had a long, lingering duration of 1:40.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: If you’re looking for something decidedly different, Blue Note Cherry Wood Finish is going to be right up your alley. Sure, cherry is a common note in Bourbon, but something this intense is unusual. It dominated from start to finish, yet complemented those spicy components.

 

If you’re reading that as this Bourbon is sickly sweet, that’s an incorrect assessment. Yes, it was sweet, but not overly so. For whatever reason, Blue Note Cherry Wood Finish works. At its 120°, it offers plenty of character and a healthy balance of sweet and spiciness. For $70.00, you’re getting one heck of a fun experience. My Bottle rating is well deserved. 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.