Tastes

This has a nose with tons of oak. I also get a little nutmeg and black cherry as others have stated. Palate has some vanilla, oak, butterscotch. Mouthfeel is thin. Finish is astringent and a little dry. There is leather, sweet oak and honey spread over hostess white bread with a dash of pepper. The unblended American whiskey blows this away. Wish I would have went with another bottle of that one.

Nose : Oak, sawdust, apple juice, white grape juice, subtle smoke Palate: Apple, pear, mandarin orange, cinnamon, cedar, caramel, butterscotch Finish: Lengthy for only being in oak for 18 months, mossy oak and subtle brown sugar sweetness with a little burnt marshmallow

This is just so simple to drink. Very simple but enjoyable. On the nose I get a little oak, simple syrup and elmer's glue. Palate is very simple. Carmel, vanilla and oak. Butterscotch and cream soda make an appearance. Finish is pleasant. There is a little oak again and leather. Very enjoyable finish although it's not lengthy. This is flawless.

Overall this one has a strong oak funk plus some good basic bourbon flavors. The nuttiness from HH is there and some baking spices hang out on the finish only. It isn’t better than Evan Williams black label though as that product is sweeter and much better balanced especially with the oak. It is a reasonable bottom shelf option and would mix well at 100 proof.

Batch 21-06 @ 110.8 proof. I never thought a Makers would make it to a 4 for me even though I have a soft spot in my heart for the standard Makers as it was my go-to with water for years. It's simple but bold. It is a cherry bomb and lots of good pastry notes with sweet icing. There is several different cherry flavor variations and it leads to an easy and flawless finish. There is a little floral on the finish and some slight oak with a touch of pepper which makes it interesting. I wouldn't mind going back to see if this batch is still around as it is pretty darn good.

Batch 26 @ 114.8 proof. The fruitiest MGP I have ever had. The nose and finish showcase baking spices but the palate is all red fruits and sugar. It's very easy to drink and I bet this is why it has such mass appeal and gets some hype. For me it lacks some of that pipe tobacco, leather, citrus and oak that I often times get from MGP or Ross and Squibb now. Glad I got a bottle to try and experience it as it’s very off profile for me, but that can be expected with such small batch sizes.

This is a pick that was selected for the Kentucky Bourbon affair in 2019 by Fred Minnick and I picked it up shortly after at the distillery. It is a 2019 Camp Nelson F product and it was in oak for just over 10 years. Barrel: 19-1339 CNF 6 For me Wild Turkey products shine anywhere from 8 to 11 years so this one is in my wheelhouse. Nose is oak and Luxardo cherry syrup. There is a little vanilla icing smell there as well. Taste is where this one shines. Cherry pie with a buttery crust is the major flavor but there is toffee, vanilla, caramel and a nice amount of barrel char. The mouthfeel has a little bit of a prickle that Camp Nelson is known for but it is not as strong as a Camp A barrel. Oily feel that covers the mouth well. Finish is very satisfying with a little tobacco, brown sugar and more cherry pie. It's long and creamy. Great pick - That 2019 year was epic for Camp Nelson Barrels.

The second barreling appears to really add some nice oak to the flavor. The nose is weak as it is young and the finish is really short and gets a little dry. The rye flavor though is dense for a younger product which makes it enjoyable. Should make some good cocktails because it has a nice unaltered rye spice. Glad to have supported this veteran's effort in Alabama.

It's a shame that there are not more reviews of this one. The first 2 editions have more reviews. I found this sitting on a shelf collecting dust today and decided I wasn't going to walk past it without taking it home. I've had several Dickel products before and I do get that flintstones vitamin flavor from many but not not all of their products. I've had some Dickel select and single barrel offerings that were outstanding. The regular old #12 and #8 labels are whiskey's that I feel like you really have to be in the mood to enjoy. This has been divisive with reviewers online but I really wanted to try it out for myself. Let's get into it! Nose is very caramel forward. There is some oak and vanilla there as well but if you try hard enough ,the end of the first sniff gives you a handful of spearmint gum. Palate is pretty sweet and easy to sip. Flavor wheel is pretty complex. I get candied orange, maple syrup, candied pecans, peanut butter, sawdust, caramel, earth, leather, oak and a really enjoyable cedar which hangs out on the finish as well. Finish is candied orange slices, oak, vanilla, caramel, tobacco and cedar. This whiskey shows it's age and the amount of time it was in oak. I don't get the vitamins flavor on this one but rather a strange twist with the orange and all the cedar. I like it though as it's a great change of pace product with a sticky viscosity that many more expensive whisky's lack. I feel like some people like to line up to get on the "I hate Dickel bandwagon" but I don't get why ? Yes they source plenty of whiskey and yes they have some mineralities that other distilleries would never feature. But the bottle label and price are down to earth and for some folks like me appreciate that sentiment. It's a 13 year old whiskey that is complex but doesn't break the bank. If you see it, take a chance on it and keep an open mind.