Tennessee Whisky

George Dickel No. 8 Tennessee Whisky Review

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.)

George Dickel No. 8

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

George Dickel No. 12 Tennessee Whisky Review

Next in our Tennessee Whiskey series is George Dickel No. 12.  This is the middle of the pack for them.  It comes in at 90 proof and is blended with “older” whiskies.  There’s no age statement on this one.  So, how does this one fare?  (Review sample provided by Taylor Strategy)

George Dickel No. 12

On the nose I get some oak, corn and vanilla.  Whatever older whiskies have been blended with this contribute to the oakiness.  Of course I still get some caramel sweetness and a little spice.  It’s nice.  Especially at 90 proof.  I’m not getting some of the harshness I expected from a 90 proof whisky.  The medium finish comes across as slightly sweet and ever-so-slightly smoky.

I normally first sample whiskey neat. For some reason, I decided to pour my first sample over ice.  I noticed that after a little dilution, a lot of the sweetness was gone.  I didn’t care too much for what was left.  I’d definitely recommend this one as a neat sipping whiskey.  No real complaints here.  It’s not as sweet as Jack Daniel’s, it’s main competition.  Some may like that, some may not.  Some very nice whiskey for under $25.

8/10

George Dickel Barrel Select Tennessee Whisky Review

We shift from Jack Daniel’s to “the other guy”- George Dickel.  George Dickel Tennessee Whisky (they leave out the ‘e’ from whiskey) is Jack Daniel’s main competition.  The company can loosely be traced back to the mid-to-late 1800s, just like Jack Daniel’s.  They put out three aged whiskies:  George Dickel No. 8, George Dickel No. 12, and George Dickel Barrel Select.  This post looks at the latter.  (Review sample provided by Taylor Strategy)

George Dickel Barrel Select

George Dickel Barrel Select is a 10 barrel small batch whisky.  It’s not a single barrel, although some retailers can select a single barrel of George Dickel and sell it.  George Dickel Barrel Select is the highest-priced whisky in their normal lineup.  According to their website, it’s aged between 10 and 12 years and comes in at 86 proof.

I get tons of caramel, vanilla and oak when I nose it.  It comes in smooth, a term you don’t usually associate with whiskey.  This whisky is syrupy in that it coats your mouth.  There is lots of sweet caramel at first, followed by a little bit of spiciness.  I’d even describe this as a little buttery… kind of like eating a toffee candy.    The finish is sweet.  It’s not quick, but it doesn’t linger.

This is the first George Dickel product I’ve tasted.  I was going to start with their value label George Dickel No. 8 and work my way up, but decided to go against the grain here.  Let’s start at the top.  I’m glad I did.  Simply put, this may be the smoothest, most flavorful Tennessee Whiskey I’ve tasted.  This will run you about slightly north of $40 a bottle.

8.5/10