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Bourbon Review: J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bellefontaine Reserve

We review J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bellefontaine Reserve, a farm whiskey finished in used Cognac barrels.

OVERALL RATING

8
$65.00
  • Katelyn Best, whisky writer & enthusiast.
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Tasting Notes

About:

60% corn, 40% wheat, rye, and malted barley; aged 5 and a half years in new oak, finished 8 months in used Cognac barrels; bottled at 51.72% ABV; retails $65-85 in the Wisconsin/Chicagoland area or online.
Appearance:
Nose:
Strong caramel and vanilla at first, layered over confectioner’s sugar, butterscotch, and buttery oak. As it opens up, I get some warm allspice.
Palate:
Quite warm and spicy on the palate, with more caramel, red fruit and black pepper. It’s big in a way that comes almost as a surprise after the fairly sugary nose. Fairly hot, with good body. Some faint dried fruit on the finish. Wood and cherry Jolly Rancher linger.
Finish:
Comments:
This is a good bourbon, with enough spice to balance out the caramel sweetness and a nice, mouth-filling texture. If anything, the finish falls a little flat, but I’d still sip it happily. It’s hard to tell what the cognac finish adds; I’d be curious to try this side-by-side with one of J. Henry’s other expressions.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Katelyn Best

Katelyn Best, a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, is a regular contributor to The Whiskey Wash. She has a particular passion for exploring the unique and unconventional aspects of the whisky world.

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