Wrapping up the short series on Tennessee whiskey is George Dickel’s entry level No. 8 Tennessee Whisky.   How does it hold up to their slightly older No. 12 or Barrel Select?  (Thanks to Taylor Strategy for the sample.)

There’s some light caramel and very slight oak on the nose.  Taste-wise there’s some slight burn on entry, but nothing too harsh.  I get some caramel and a hint of vanilla and some slight oak.  Not a complex whisky.  Also, this isn’t as sweet as other Dickel whiskies.  There is a pleasant lightness to this one though.  I sampled this during a Louisiana summer, so the lightness was nice.  The finish was pretty quick, and kind of on the dry side.  As with most of the Tennessee whiskies I sampled in the series, the charcoal filtration that was used mellowed this one pretty well.

I enjoyed George Dickel’s other two Tennessee whisky entries more than this, especially their Barrel Select.   That one had more happening in the glass flavor-wise.  At 80 proof though, it’s not a bad starter whisky or “everyday sip,” especially at it’s $16 price tag.  There’s better out there in the Under $20 category, like Four Roses Yellow Label, but George Dickel No. 8 will do in a pinch.

7/10