George Dickel 13 Year Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whisky (Fall 2005)

Smooth.

Damn good. Price point is very hard to beat. As others have echoed, while I wouldn't agree with this being whiskey of the year, I can understand why it was selected. It represents older times when well aged bourbon was cheap and accessible, and shows a shift in the Dickel mindset which I am certainly excited about. Vanilla and dusty peanuts on the nose with a hint of alcohol and classic Dickel mineral. Approachable and reels you in. Palate delivers more of the same - very nutty, with sweet vanilla and even a little cherry fruitiness. A lingering wood, dust, and a tiny bit of spice on the nicely long finish. Surprised by the mouthfeel at the proof, in a good way. Once again, approachable, non-offensive, and tasty. Not mind blowing, but a well executed bourbon to sip neat, and is pleasantly distinctive. Got this at Total Wine for MSRP before it won whiskey of the year, so you won't find it at this price. MSRP is now $42, which I still think is a fair price. I am a fan of the Evan Williams Vintage series that changes year by year, and I think that this will be the same, a bottle I'll try every year and leave a few pours in to compare year to year. If the MSRP was still $32, this would get another half star. But $42 is still more than reasonable, and gets the 'buy' green light.

Smell: Buttered popcorn, oak, and vanilla. Taste: Like syrup and butter on cornbread. Soft and simple. The ending is like getting smacked with a vanilla bean. It is fun to drink, but lacks complexity and spice.

This has a rich, sweet, toasted, nutty nose. It's one of those premium smells that indicates long aging. That toastiness - like toasted barley mixed with popcorn - really comes through most of all on the nose. It isn't a big, assertive nose with a lot of alcohol, but it smells good. It smells a bit weak and simple, but it smells like it has a very well executed flavor. The palate is smooth, though it does have some spiciness to it. It's very rich with those toasty notes bringing out a fullness, but the mouthfeel is disappointingly a bit below medium. There's sufficient sweetness here along with the richness. It tastes much like it smells, with a bit of red fruit (cherry) coming out as well. It's very good, but I wish that it were more complex. I have a suspicion though that a mix of this (for the richness), Jim Beam Black (for the complexity) and Booker's (for the oomph) would be really good. Maybe some Whistlepig Piggyback for complexity as well. The one problem in using this for blending would be that it is so smooth that it could water down the blended spirit (shocking!). The quality here is very high, but I really would like more complexity. Unfortunately, based on this tasting, I'd put it below Booker's Kitchen Table and Whistlepig Piggyback. Maybe some Noah's for fruitiness, but Noah's does tend to have a bit of gasoline character to it. I do still really like this though. It's toasty and balanced with some juicy cherry with a layer of spices that includes a nice amount for baking spices (particularly allspice, but also some nutmeg and a dash of clove) and a woody backing with some sweet brown sugar. It's a very well balanced bourbon that has nice richness and complexity. Although not a masterpiece, it has some very good flavors and is well worth its price tag.

Now on my 2nd bottle of this and wanted to review it for a 3rd time. Enjoying this one neat. Nose - instantly get peanuts again with sugar, caramel and heavy honey. Honey roasted peanuts anyone? Not quite. Taste - Starts light, rolls on the tongue and gets oily and full with a nice tongue coat. Honey up front and another sweet and sugary taste. Not getting near as much peanuts up front as I did the other bottle. The finish is a very very long and spicy end with a touch of bitterness, peanuts, pepper at the end. Medium long finish. Overall and value - good and unique, getting harder to find for reasonable price. So far not liking this bottle as much as the first.

Peppery/caramel/marmalade and a minerally quality that grew on me. Quite like it... not sure I’d label it as “Whisky of the Year”, but it’s complexity is rare at the price. Definitely worth a shot if you see it. I like each sip more.

I’ve never had George Dickel Bottle in Bond before I bought this bottle. This bottle tastes exactly like Smooth Ambler Old Scout 13 year. They both have this very different after taste. Not sure if I like it or not.