This post sponsored by the Glencairn Whisky Glass

For some time now, The Geo. A. Dickel Cascade Hollow Distillery has been selling barrels of Bourbon to other people. It is about time that they released some of it under their own label. Dickel is a well-known producer of Tennessee whisky. The distillery was built in the late 1950s and started to sell Geo. A. Dickel No.8 (89 proof) and No.12 (90 proof) Tennessee whisky in the 1960s. Around the turn of the 21st century, the distillery closed down production for a while due to full warehouses and slow sales. When they opened again, they added Bourbon to their production. My guess is that Diageo was thinking about the contract distilling and barrel sales as an option for income. It has worked and they make fine Bourbon, as well as, their Tennessee whisky. 

I recently picked up a bottle of the Dickel Bourbon at Westport Whiskey & Wine, and Matt and I sat down to taste and review it. We were both impressed with the quality and taste. It is different from their Tennessee whisky and does not have the smoke notes found in the Tennessee whisky. This whiskey is definitely worth a try. It is easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Here are our tasting notes.

Geo. A. Dickel Bourbon

Proof: 90

Age: Eight Years Old

Nose:

  • Mike: Apricots, caramel, vanilla (like a Majeska candy) with a hint of oak.
  • Matt: Apricots with vanilla and caramel with a note of honeysuckle flowers.

Taste:

  • Mike: Caramel and apricots with some baking spice and oak. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the apricots and caramel come forward as the spice and oak recedes. Tasted with a pecan and the caramel and spice move forward and the apricot and oak recedes.
  • Matt: Cocoa, crème de menthe and black pepper spice with a hint of oak. The dried cranberry added notes of honey and vanilla. The pecan brought forward more vanilla and oak.

Finish:

  • Mike: Long with oak and spice and lingering apricot fruit. The dried cranberry made the spice much stronger in the finish. The pecan made the finish longer and drier with lots of oak.
  • Matt: Long with charred, toasted bread, black pepper and oak. The dried cranberry added notes of honey and leather. The pecan made the finish very long and dry with oak, leather and a hint of honey.

I would pair this Bourbon with a Rocky Patel Decades cigar. I think the rich tobacco and leather notes of the smoke would complement the Bourbon nicely.  

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller