whisky review

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

Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey Review

Next up in our series is Gentleman Jack.  Jack Daniel’s was the first whiskey I drank.  When I wanted to upgrade, I went to their Single Barrel.  Then it was off to bourbon.  In all these years, I never had the chance to try Gentleman Jack… until recently.  My buddy Rich nearly finished off a bottle and gave me the last couple of pours.

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Gentleman Jack gets the normal “Jack Daniel’s” charcoal filtration before aging in barrels.  Unlike Old No. 7, this also gets a second charcoal filtration after maturation.  It’s designed to be super-mellow.

I drank it neat in a glencairn glass, and it concentrated those classic Jack Daniel’s sweet vanilla and caramel aromas right up to my nose.  Sadly, it’s all downhill from here.  When I tasted it, I got what I can best describe as a thin, almost watered down Jack Daniels.  There’s no bite on this whatsoever.  The finish was quick and bittersweet.

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All my gripes about Gentleman Jack go against what the brand sees as it’s positives.  I tend to lean towards the richness in my whiskey.  I like a little bite, when it’s done right.  This particular whiskey is supposed to be super-mellow.  I know a lot of people who want just that.  Gentleman Jack has none of what I’m looking for in whiskey, but that’s a matter of personal taste.  I’d rather reach for a bottle of their Old No. 7 or their single barrel.

Smooth.  Maybe too smooth.

6.0/10