Dickel 14 Year

George Dickel
Private Barrel Selection - 14 Year
obtained via bottle swap w/ Bobby Childs

This is the third of about a dozen posts rolling out in the next few weeks...the long-delayed results of a bottle swap from several months ago between Bobby (of Adventures in Whiskey) and me. I'm a huge George Dickel fan, and am really excited to taste the private barrel 14 year version. Although not reviewed previously, one of my all-time favorite whiskies was a 9 year old private barrel selection of Dickel, so I'm interested to see what an additional half-decade of aging brings to the table.

Color: medium/dark brown, maintaining a little bit of an auburn streak.

Smell: this is rich, sweaty, heavily wood-driven nose, similar to George T Stagg or Elijah Craig 18 (or many other old bourbons), Toffee, burnt corn, baking spices, cracker jack, tobacco, furniture polish, and lumberyard smells all mix together. Beyond any one note or combination, there's an anticipation of a hugely rich tasting experience. It smells like the palate is going to be thick and viscous. Basically, bourbon nirvana (I know it's not technically bourbon...).

Taste: very good. Given the big-time nose, I was anticipating an immediate whallop on the palate. Instead, the entry is relatively quiet, with dark sweets and slight red cherry fruitiness on entry. The midpalate thumps in with a lot more barrel influence, and the baking spices, tobacco, and oak carry through to the medium, cheek-puckering finish. It's surprisingly light and smooth for such an old whiskey - not at all "chewy," which has been my experience with other older bourbons.

Overall: I like this a lot, it's a solid "A-." It has one of the purest "old bourbon" noses I've ever encountered. The palate is a slight let-down in terms of richness, but it drinks vibrant and smooth, and there's plenty to savor. A total no-brainer of a purchase if your local liquor store participates in the private barrel program!

George Dickel No. 12

George Dickel

No. 12
Tennessee 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!).

George Dickel Hand Selected Barrel

George Dickel
Hand Selected Barrel
Small Batch Tennessee Whiskey
Aged 9 years
51.5% ABV (103 proof)
paid $50 @ Spirits Unlimited (New Jersey)

Color: medium brown, orange tint

Smell: smooth and approachable, but complex. Big whiffs of dusty corn sweetness and honey, with a big hit of vanilla beans, some cinnamon, and toasty oak influence as well.

Taste: smoothly sweet on entry - honey, vanilla, and caramel. The transition brings things to spicetown, with waves of cinnamon (red-hots) as well as nutmeg/clove/allspice. I also get some leather and maybe even some licorice. While the oak influence is contributing to these flavors, there is very little overt woodiness to this whiskey - it's a smooth customer that brings lots of complexity to the table. It's more than a sweet wooden punch in the mouth.

Overall: to me, this is a knockout, and an easy "A." Highly recommended. This can be tough to find, but if your liquor store participates in these private barrel selections, jump all over it. There's also apparently a 14 year version, but I haven't yet come across it.