George Dickel 9 Year Single Barrel

This is a store pick “9 year” that was barreled on 06/07/2007 and bottled 11/01/2021 after 14 years 4 months and 25 days. I paid $47 plus tax. Nose- browned butter, caramel apple, oak char, roasted nuts. After the first sip and going back to the nose I got vanilla cake batter, dandelion, and honey. Palate- Werthers butterscotch, vanilla, apple, oak, cinnamon sugar, and light char. Finish- is long. The palate follows through with vanilla, oak, tart apple, cinnamon spice, oak char and some old leather shows up on the end. This is an excellent store pick that has a complex nose and well balanced palate with a long, oily finish. If I had to give one negative impression it would be that I wish it was a few proof points higher that the 98.3 it was bottled at. This is an excellent whiskey and a new favorite for me.

Pretty good. Need to cut it.

Blind N: smells like a speyside scotch, apple, pear, musty T: sweet, barrel, corn, apple, tastes young

Taste- neat in Glen cairn, 100 proof. This is a handpicked barrel by Dad's Drinking Bourbon and The Whiskey House of Nashville TN. Triumphantly proclaimed to be "The Ghost of Cascade Hollow." It was barreled on 10/31/11 (Yep!), and then bottled on 4/22/21. Nose- wonderful caramel apple and a hint of peanuts! This is the candied apple you got in your trick or treat bag that your parents forbade you to eat. But this time.....you are an adult and you want to just bite into it, and you can. The appearance is dark amber, and the legs really cling tight to the glass. Taste- just a bit of the Dickel vitamins, but that is quickly overshadowed by apple, caramel, butterscotch, and candy corn without the waxiness. The flavors come in waves. Who ever thought candy-corn could be so good? Hated those in my treat bag, but dig it in my whiskey! This is so drinkable that it is criminal. Reminds me of some of the first Dickel Bottled in Bond releases, but much richer. Nicely done. Finish- it just hangs on to you! Vanilla makes a debut towards the end, but goes out in more of that butterscotch. Mixed with the vanilla it is almost like butter brickle ice cream There is a slight bitterness on the end note which might be where I have identified the flaw. Overall- Dickel polarizes. You either love it or hate it. You either get turned off by the Flintstone Vitamin hit (although this is so subtle) or you embrace it as the signature similar to the barrel funk of Wild Turkey. I am an acolyte of the love it, embrace it. This is really good Dickel and a well selected barrel. A trick-or-treat bag of fun! It won't be for everybody, but if you value a wonderfully aged, 9 year SiB pick at an affordable price.......this is more treat than trick.