George Dickel Rye Whisky
Average Price:$28
The Whisky:
This is an interesting whisky. Its a classic 95 percent rye like that one from up in Indiana that Dickel is making in-house. Dickel runs their rye through the charcoal filtration process and then ages the mellowed juice in their signature barrels.
Tasting Notes:
This has a nose of peach, cedar, vanilla, and a bit of graininess. The palate balances cotton candy with spicy vanilla Coke vibes next to a creamy nature. The finish gets a little leathery with a hint of the cola spice driving back towards that creamy vanilla, a hint of dry cedar, and a dash of white pepper warmth.
Bottom Line:
This is a great workhorse whisky that works really well in a cocktail, highball, or on the rocks. Its a little warm as a sipper but shines with a few rocks. The only reason its this low is that the rest of the line is so damn good.
Delve Into The World Of George Dickel
This beautiful repurposed wood piece is in our Send a Postcard area of the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center once had an established post office and mail service with a Postmaster at Dickel Station!
With such variable raw ingredients like corn, malted barley, and rye, it is important to have experienced staff keep a watchful eye on the process to ensure consistency and quality.
Our sour mash process helps keep our yeast healthy and active, as you can see here from all the bubbles they are producing. We cook up about three of the fermenters you see in this photo in a days work!
In order to become Tennessee Whisky, our spirit must be filtered through this charcoal before going into the barrel to age. As a traditional Tennessee Whisky producer, this is a critical production step for us. The residence time for the spirit in these filters can be up to three days, to make sure we get it right!
The barrels pictured here are nestled in a single-story warehouse common in Scotland but pretty unique here in the states. This style of warehouse helps the whisky age longer without overcooking.
The General Store at the visitors center is an homage to George and Augusta Dickel, who got their start in the US running a general store in Nashville.
Our Distiller Nicole Austin often signs the bottles of whisky that we sell in our Bottle Shop. When you visit us, be sure to keep an eye out for a special, signed bottle!
George Dickel Classic No 8 Tennessee Sour Mash Whisky
Average Price:$23
The Whisky:
While White Corn feels like the entry point to Dickel, this is the real intro bottle. The mash bill is the same as is the filtration, but this is aged in Dickels warehouses for four to six years. Those barrels are married into this final product and cut down to a very drinkable 80 proof.
Tasting Notes:
The sweetcorn notes remain on the nose next to hints of orchard fruits, leading towards apple pie spice, flaky crust, and a maple sugar sweetness. The palate holds onto the apples, corn, and spice and adds a touch of peach, dry cedar, and vanilla tobacco. The finish is short and sweet with a honeyed spice mix next to that orchard fruit.
Bottom Line:
This is always nice but more of a mixer for cocktails and highballs. Its cheap, widely available, and very drinkable.
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Its Rye Whisky Has A Lot Of Rye
To qualify as a legally designated rye whiskey in America, a spirit requires a mash bill of at least 51 percent rye. George Dickel Ryes grain bill contains 95 percent rye . The result, according to the company: fruit notes that maintain upon first taste and then finishes with a long, composed spiciness. Substitute it for bourbon in cocktails like the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan.
The Best Whiskey Of 2019 Is A $36 Bottle Youve Never Heard Of
George Dickel Bottled in Bond is Whisky Advocates best bottle of the year.
Announced last week, Whisky Advocates best whiskey of 2019 is George Dickel Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whisky. Scratching your head? Youre not the only one.
Released in limited quantities early in the summer, its a 13-year-old whiskey from a distillery thats not on many radars. George Dickel is a large Tennessee whiskey-making operation, but it exists in the shadow of the states whiskey champion, Jack Daniels. On top of that, the bottle was released early in the summer, which is traditionally a semi-dry period for heavy-hitting whiskey releases.
That all said, there wasnt a whiskey released this year or in recent years that looks better by the numbers. George Dickels award-getting expression is aged for 13 years, cut to a sturdy 100 proof and sold for $36. That is unheard of in todays whiskey market and wouldve been a steal almost a decade ago, too. Such bargains result because Tennessee whiskey lives in the shadow of bourbon, which can easily command three or four times the price at this age. Jeffery Lindenmuth explains in Whisky Advocates writeup. Lindenmuth suggests the whiskey leans heavy into peanuts, fruit and chocolatey flavors.
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California Residents: Tap Here For Proposition 65 Warning
| WARNING: Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol |
| WARNING: Many food and beverage cans have linings containing bisphenol A , a chemical known to cause harm to the female reproductive system. Jar lids and bottle caps may also contain BPA. You can be exposed to BPA when you consume foods or beverages packaged in these containers. For more information, go to: www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/BPA |
George Dickel 8 Year Old
- Rank: 5
- Style: Bourbon
- Place of Origin: Tennessee
Nicole Austin hasnt rested on her laurels since George Dickel Bottled in Bond won Whisky of the Year in 2019, continuing to create great and affordable whiskeys at Cascade Hollow Distillery. This is notably a bourbon rather than a Tennessee whiskey, though the criteria for the two styles mostly overlap. The nose is nutty and well spiced, with caramel corn, toasted pecans, cinnamon graham crackers, cherry tart, and butterscotch candies. There is a friendliness to the palate that makes it ideal for outdoor imbibing, with notes of spearmint, mixed berries, nougat, and honey. Big spice on the finish makes this a memorable sip. Ted Simmons
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George Dickel Bourbon Whisky
Average Price:$30
The Whisky:
This whisky was a special release from Nicole Austin and a new direction for the brand. The whisky is the same Dickel simply pulled from barrels that leaned more into classic bourbon flavor notes instead of Dickels iconic Tennessee whisky notes. The barrels are a minimum of eight years old before theyre vatted. The juice is then cut down to a manageable 90 proof and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with classic bourbon notes of vanilla, caramel, dry wood, and a touch of apple crisp with brown sugar, spice, and butter. The taste holds onto the Dickel corn vibe as the sweetness leans into caramel and toffee with a buttery backbone, more eggnog spice, and a pear/apple vibe with a dusting of orange oils. The finish isnt overly long but has a nice dose of creamy vanilla next to an apple tobacco chewiness.
Bottom Line:
This is just easy drinking all around. Its very mixable but also works as a nice on the rocks pour in a pinch. For a $30 bourbon, this is a winner.
George Dickel Bottled In Bond Taste And Aftertaste
George Dickel Bottled in Bond starts with grassy caramel, maple syrup, and crème brulee sweetness, but its not completely one-dimensional. Sweet corn, oak, and cinnamon extract are wrapped up in all the sweetness, as well as a light apple and peach fruitiness that add some depth. Especially on my first sip, I taste that Jolly Rancher and mineral sweetness thats often found in George Dickel whiskeys.
I personally enjoy it, but Im surprised that I didnt find it in the George Dickel 14 Year Single Barrel. The mouthfeel is slightly creamy and buttery from the high corn content in the mash. The alcohol is also well controlled, thanks to the long aging process.
Chewing releases a light herbal sweetness from the 8% rye. It provides a slightly herbal honeyed fennel, anise, and mint that add a contrasting sweetness and savoriness. I taste a little more cinnamon and cocoa, but its still not a lot.
The oak imparted a lot of sweetness and mellowed the alcohol, but didnt add so much deep and dark wood and spice. The Dickel mineral-y note also backs off as my mouth adjusts.
All the same flavors move into the finish, with lightly sweet corn, honey, vanilla, grass, and oak tannins that eventually fade into mint. George Dickel Bottled in Bond in a lot of ways is like Jack Daniels Single Barrel: sweet, but not quite as dark and cola-y. It tastes great, but its not particularly deep, and thats ok.
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Place On The Whiskey Shelf
George Dickel Bottled in Bond 13 Year is a unique and very enjoyable whiskey. It has wonderfully mature and rich caramel, maple syrup, crème brulee, and marshmallow sweetness, with just with enough wood, spice, grass, and mint to keep it interesting and balanced. I also dont mint the Dickel mineral-y and slight hard candy sweetness.
The only thing holding me back from giving George Dickel Bottled in Bond a Top Shelf rating is that its just not quite as complex as Stagg Jr or Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon which have more developed fruit and spice traits, as well as general richness. Still, its very good.
I applaud George Dickel for bucking the trend and offering a great, yet somewhat affordable and accessible limited release whiskey. No one sells 13-year-old age-stated and 100+ proof whiskey for under $50 these days.
Even $80-100 is rare, with a few exceptions such as Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, some 14-15 year old Knob Creek Single Barrel store picks, and Bulleit 12 year rye.
I really like George Dickel Bottled in Bond and recommend it for your shelf as well.
George Dickel Superior No 12 Tennessee Sour Mash Whisky
Average Price:$36
The Whisky:
This is Dickels touchstone whisky. The corn-heavy juice is aged for at least five years before it goes into the bottle at 90 proof.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a matrix of maple syrup, salted butter, cream soda, and spicy cherry on the nose with maybe a touch of buttermilk pancake tying it all together. The palate has a note of dry cedar next to apple tobacco that leads toward a chalky cherry vibe thats shockingly close to a Flinstone Vitamin from your childhood. That all comes together on the back end as the creamy vanilla soda, cherry, and spice all linger the longest and leave you with dry warmth.
Bottom Line:
This just works. Its also a workhorse whisky that shines as brightly in a cocktail as it does on the rocks. Its distinct, approachable, and very affordable.
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Things You Should Know About George Dickel Tennessee Whisky
It sometimes gets confused for bourbon or overshadowed by its top rival, Jack Daniels, but George Dickel ranks as the second-largest manufacturer of Tennessee whiskey. Lodged in a rustic corner of Tennessee, 77 miles southeast of Nashville closer to Chattanooga and nearer still to Jack Daniels hometown of Lynchburg Dickel produces whiskey much as it has since its beginnings in 1870.
A trip to the distillery feels like stepping into a movie set for an old western, where the air smells like burning maple and an up-and-coming country music star may just strum his guitar while rocking in a chair on the wooden porch.
Many factors distinguish the whiskey company from any other. Here are nine.
drop!
George Dickel Barrel Select
Average Price:$44
The Whisky:
This is Dickels main small batch whisky. The standard juice is aged for nine to 12 years and built from around 12 or fewer barrels. Those hand-selected barrels are vatted and then this is cut with that soft Tennessee water to a very approachable 86 proof.
Tasting Notes:
You get soft notes of corn next to butterscotch, oily vanilla, fresh leather, a touch of orange rind, and maybe a little cherry on the nose. The palate delivers a mix of eggnog spices with hints of vanilla, creamed corn, dry cedar bark, and a slight savory note that leans towards fresh green herbs. The end lingers on the spices as the vanilla and cedar leave you with a dry feeling on the back of your palate.
Bottom Line:
This is where things start to get very interesting and sippable. While I like this for Sazeracs or Manhattans, its very sippable on a rock or two.
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You Cant Buy A Drink At The Dickel Distillery For Now
Tennessee state lawmakers passed a bill last year to allow drink sales at distilleries, even in dry counties. Dickel will start selling drinks at an undetermined date in the near future. For now, at Dickel, you can sample small portions of whisky as part of your $12 tour ticket, and you can buy whisky to take home.
In case youre wondering, Coffee County is considered moist, meaning that it straddles being both a dry county, where you cant buy alcohol, and a wet country, where you can.
Its First Collaboration Was Spicy
Dickel keeps only a few expressions on the market at a time. So its first outside production partnership marks an innovation for the distillery. Joining with the southern Louisiana hot sauce company Tabasco, Dickel ages its whisky for 30 days on wooden barrels that held maturing Tabasco for three years. Distillers then distill Tabascos original sauce into an essence they blend with the whiskey to create George Dickel Tabasco Brand Barrel Finish. Dickel nicknames the whisky Hot Dickel.
The liquid is mellow and not too hot, and comes in at 70 proof.
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Three Of Its Whiskies Are Named After Numbers But Theyre Not Age Statements
According to a Dickel spokesperson, The numbers behind No. 8 + No. 12 are an unsolved mystery, as they do not relate to the number of years the whisky is aged.
Aged for 5 to 7 years, George Dickel Classic No. 8 Whisky balances flavors of vanilla and caramel to create the distillerys signature whisky. In 2010, it won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Aged for 6 to 8 years, George Dickel Superior No. 12 blends older whiskies to create what the company describes as deeper, more assertive flavors and an incredibly smooth finish. This spirit has won 17 prestigious awards since 2002, including gold and double gold medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the Beverage Tasting Institute.
The unaged George Dickel No. 1 contains the same mash bill as No. 8 and No. 12 but spends no time in the barrel and is thus sold clear.
Never Mind The Spelling: Its American
In 1866, German immigrant George Augustus Dickel founded his first American business, a liquor shop in Nashville. Dickel was 48 years old. As a child growing up in Europe, though, Dickel considered Scotch the ultimate whisky. So when he started making his own spirit, he adopted the Scottish spelling, whisky.
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George Dickel Bottled In Bond Overview
In not so elegant terms, George Dickel is that other company that makes Tennessee Whiskey, dwarfed by the gigantic Jack Daniels. Regardless of size, Dickel and Company have kindly and thoughtfully graced us with George Dickel Bottled in Bond, a limited-release 13 year old Tennessee whiskey that was distilled and barreled in 2005.
Given then trend of disappearing age statements, 13 years is a lifetime even for established distilleries that are running low on older whiskey . Craft distillers are still years away from having anything that old.
Dickel is often unknowingly best known as the whiskey in Smooth Ambler, Heavens Door, and Barrell bourbons, with these companies charging huge premiums for it. Now, George Dickel has cut out the middleman and released their own premium Bottled in Bond Tennessee whiskey for a shockingly reasonable $40.
Older, as well as limited, doesnt necessarily mean better, so lets start this George Dickel Bottled in Bond review to find out if this is worth a spot on your shelf.
*As of December 2, 2019, George Dickel Bottled in Bond is Whisky Advocates 2019 Whisky of the Year.
As an FYI, I bought and use these Glencairn glasses from Amazon for my reviews and comparisons : Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass, Set of 6, Clear, 6 Pack. Full transparency, this is an affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
Tennessee Whiskey Reviews
George Dickel Bottled In Bond Smell
George Dickel Bottled in Bond has a very round honey, maple syrup, crème brulee, and vanilla custard sweetness up front that only gets better over time, with a little dried grass, oak, and mint to supplement it.
The sweetness is a little syrupy, but not overpowering, and reminds me of frosted cornbread, which smells great to me. There isnt much fruit, with just a little underlying apple and citrus. I also detect just a hint of nuttiness, but far from the levels found in Larceny Wheated Bourbon or Bookers.
Dickel Bottled in Bond has the usual charred oak, cinnamon, and nutmeg, but theyre so controlled and rounded. Using a cake metaphor, the oak and spice are well mixed into the sweetness like a spiced and slightly burnt frosting, and not like a separate dense layer of cake. Underneath everything is a light coating of
musty corn, oak, and mint, as if I was smelling this whiskey in a very old wooden barn with dried corn hanging everywhere.
Dickel Bottled and Bond is fairly balanced, but skews towards being sweeter. The 50% alcohol is also generally subdued, showing how the long aging process, and maybe the charcoal filtering, have calmed it quite a lot.
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