Belle Meade Cognac Cask Finish Bourbon

About Belle Meade

Charles Nelson was born on July 4, 1835, in a small town in the Mecklenburg-Schwerin state of northern Germany. In 1850, his father decided to move the family, which included five other siblings, to the United States for a chance at a better life. During the journey across the Atlantic, John Nelson passed away and Charles — just 15 years old at the time — found himself the breadwinner of the family.

After working at several odd jobs throughout the Northeast, Nelson settled in Nashville and opened a grocery store built on the foundation of his three best-selling products: coffee, meat, and whiskey. Demand for Nelson's whiskey soared during Reconstruction such that he shuttered his grocery store and opened up his own distillery. The distillery, commonly known as "Old Number Five" due to the fact that it was given Distillery License #5, became one of the largest in the United States and was the first to produce Belle Meade Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Old Number Five was eventually forced to close its doors during Prohibition, but today, Charlie and Andy Nelson — Charles Nelson's great-great-great grandsons — have taken up the family business once more.