George DickelTennessee Whisky
45% ABV (90 proof)
~$20 (sample provided)
Color: medium chestnut brown
Smell: smooth dusty cornbread. Smells like you used a piece of cornbread to dust off a bookshelf (but just a little bit of dust, and a small piece of cornbread). Caramel sweetness to boot. Nice, but a little muted.
Taste: plenty of caramel and dusty corn sweetness on entry. The transition brings in even more sweetness - a honeyed candy note like candy corn. Slight alcohol tingle on the medium-short finish.
Overall: great value and solid "B+." Having tasted their new make, it's readily apparent that the barrel time smooths out the edges and brings plenty of caramel sweetness to the whisky. There aren't lots of other flavors besides the dusty sweet corn note throughout, but it's a pretty good trick. Smooth sipping in its own right, and a total no-brainer for cocktails and parties. Definitely recommended, but don't expect the refinement and secondary/tertiary flavor explosion of an old barrel strength whisky. Shooting to try their barrel select and 9/14 year single barrels soon - I've had a 9 year liquor store private selection before, and it was one of my favorite whiskies ever (unfortunately, that was before I started this blog!).
