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George Dickel No:12

Dickel 1 of 2

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@talexanderReview by @talexander

5th Feb 2016

0

  • Nose
    23
  • Taste
    22
  • Finish
    22
  • Balance
    22
  • Overall
    89

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I thought I had reviewed this one ages ago, so let's do it now, followed by a Dickel cask strength single barrel.

This is the standard Dickel No. 12, which seems to be the Tennessee whiskey (or, as they call it on the label, whisky) for those who don't like Jack Daniel's. I have no idea what "No. 12" means, any more than I know what JD's "No. 7" means. Must be a Tennessee thang.

The colour is a burnt caramel. On the nose...well, lots of burnt caramel too! Baked apple, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and wood smoke. Quite oaky. Roasted nuts. Soft vanilla. Herbal. Mintier - and maltier - with water. The smoother cousin to that other Tennessean.

On the palate there is burnt sugar, creme brûlée, wet tobacco leaves, ginger and more cloves. Again, very oaky, and with a heavy char. Medium mouthfeel. Dates. A bit of a sour note, which is interesting. Water brings out a bit more spice. Extremely rich.

The finish is full of cherrywood smoke, tobacco, nutmeg and sage. As I hinted at earlier, many of my whisky friends who don't like JD (but who like single malts and softer bourbons) like this one. To be, it is very much like JD dialled back a bit, with a subtle sourness thrown in. It's very good and I often enjoy drinking it. But it could still use JD's oomph.

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2 comments

@talexander
talexander commented

I should have mentioned the mashbill: 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley. The barrel char is #4, the head char is #2.

8 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@talexander, thanks for your nice review.

The Dickel mashbill is so high in corn that it qualifies to be called a corn whiskey. I especially like George Dickel # 12 compared to the twice the price George Dickel Barrel Select because the Dickel # 12 is almost always much drier. The Barrel Select which I have had lays the sweetness on pretty thickly...more than I would prefer.

I think the No. 12 is a vestigial reference to a 12 year age statement...long long ago, in a far-off galaxy.

I've had great experiences with George Dickel # 12, but unfortunately the bottle that I urged @Nock to buy was from a very unrepresentative batch, and not good. You really don't know if the next bottle with a given label is going to taste like the last one did.

8 years ago 0

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