Belle Meade
Tasting Notes
Sour Mash Whiskey Straight Bourbon
Aged 9 years
114.2 Proof
Color: Deep Copper
Nose: Caramel, Oak, Vanilla, and Spice. There is a faint vegetal note, but it does not ruin the aromatics of this whiskey.
Taste: Very Sweet Caramel balanced well with Peppermint
Finish: From beginning to end the finish is spicy. However it starts so early that we found it hard to explore the nuances on the palate.
Body: Thin to Medium
Personality: Sofia Vergara
Impression: Excellent bourbon that stands out in its uniqueness. We really like the one-two punch of the straight jab of sweetness followed by a heavy overhand right of rye burn. Caution.....Do not mix this whiskey with water. With the high proof you may be tempted to dilute and open up this bourbon, but don't. Even just a splash of water brings the vegetal note to the forefront and ruins the experience. This whiskey is best enjoyed neat.
Oven Roasted Salmon- pre heat a baking sheet to 500 degrees on the bottom rack. Take a 2 lb center cut salmon and cut into 4 pieces. Score the skin side so the fat renders and it becomes crispy. Pat dry then coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place skin side down on baking sheet and turn oven to 275. 9 to 13 min of baking and salmon should be removed when internal temp is 125. Relish: take 4 tangerines and supreme them and cut into 1/4 size pieces. Let drain In a collander for 15 min . Take 1 tbsp of drained tangerine juice and combine with 1.5 tsp grated ginger, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp EVOO salt and pepper minced scallions and 1/4 finely diced Serrano pepper and 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard. Whisk together to create a vinagrette and then add tangerines. Garnish with roasted slivered almonds
Bechamel sauce: melt 1 tbsp butter in sauce pan on medium heat then add 2 tbsp AP flour to make a roux. Cool for 1 min and then slowly add 2 cups whole milk and incorporate into roux as it is added. Take a 1/2 whit onion and stud it with 3 cloves and 2 bay leaves and let simmer in the sauce for 30 min. Finish with salt pepper and grated nutmeg ...this is my recipe but the Salmon was adapted from season 10 ATK