Review #: 514
Description: Hughes Belle of Bedford Single Barrel Rye: r/Bourbon #3717
Spirit: Rye
Background: 30 for 30 Day 8: Hughes is based out of Philadelphia, and I have to say, I love the old school label. Long, long ago in America’s early days, Pennsylvania was actually the state known for Rye Whiskey. While it was distilled in Indiana, it’s a nice nod. This was a 9 year old barrel, distilled in March of 2012 and bottled in March of 2021.
Distillery – MGP
Bottler – Hughes Bros.
Brand – Belle of Bedford
Selection – r/Bourbon
ABV – 54.12%
Age – 9 Years
Nose – Big whack of rye spice, caraway seeds, dill, charcoal embers, brown butter, orange oil, chocolate fudge, warming oak, earthy pine
Taste – Brown sugar, butter, sweet orange, fresh rye bread, there is a bit of that vermouth richness but not as sweet as the NBC bottle from yesterday
Finish – More pop of rye spice, black pepper, dill, embers. It’s warm but not hot and the savory spice is exactly what you would look for in a bold rye whiskey.
Score: 8
Would I buy a bottle? At $112, it’s a bit pricey but I think well worth it
Thoughts: One of the fun things of this series is just seeing the range of the flavors you can get from one distillery even with the same mashbill. Where the NBC bottle is sweet and fruity, this one delivers lots of the punchy rye you would think from a 95% rye recipe. I still get that connection to the barrels though with that vermouth note of richness. I think both are excellent for different flavors but the same composure. I think this rye lives up to the historic reputation of Pennsylvania.