George Dickel No. 12

This is getting a 4 because it’s enjoyability/value is off the charts. This is hands down the best value in the whiskey world.

Dickel is the other Tennessee whiskey that most folks don't immediately bring to mind where Tennesse whiskey is concerned. It employs similar charcoal filtering, but instead of dripping it through the charcoal like JD, Dickel is chilled to around 40* then soaked in vats of charcoal about a week then barreled. To be blunt, Jack Daniel's rules the roost in brand recognition, but who is king where it counts, i.e. flavor? Let's find out! Enjoyed neat, no added water. Nose is certainly interesting and oddly what you smell may vary day by day. One day I get sweet vanilla pudding with hints of maple, fruit, and oak. Another day I can only focus on the mineral smells of Centrum multivitamins and sweetness. Yet on another whiff I can call it sweet doughy bread with nuts. I wouldn't call the nose too complex, but it's rather amazing the range of scents one can gather on this if you're looking for them. Whatever the case, there is way more going on here than your standard JD! With a high corn mash bill, the palate is very sweet and fairly light in mouthfeel. Starts off with a hit of spiciness and warmth, but quickly followed by citrus zest, dark chocolate, leather, toasted sugar and smoky barrel char. After the palate is fully adjusted, I get maple pecan biscuits. Yum! There can, at times, be a hint of the mineral like multivitamin in the taste but it fades very quickly into the better palate notes. While the 12 in the name doesn't suggest age of the product, this expression does have a bit more age (8+ years on average) on it than what most of its competition offers. And I believe the longer aging is evident in the flavors that linger on the palate and long into the finish. Finish is actually ridiculously long here and offers flavors reminiscent of a nice bourbon, that is predominantly maple and toasted sugars, honey, and oak. Also a nice menthol and minty quality that is very pleasant. Serioulsy the finish just doesn't quit and very long into it there is lingering maple and oak. So good and this is only a $20 bottle! Overall, fantastic value at $20! Far more flavor and bang for the buck than its main Tennessee competitor JD No 7. And I can say I like it more than some bourbons costing double than this Dickel. While some may be understandably put off by the vitamin qualities in smell and taste, I wouldn't say this bothers me much at all, particularly as this isn't the dominate flavor of the expression, and quickly provides very tasty traditional bourbon notes beginning mid palate and continuing through the long finish. I'd say at the $20 price point, I can't think of much else that I'd rather pick up honestly. Dickel 12 is quickly becoming my best buy in budget whiskey/bourbon! It beats the pants off JD in both price and quality, offers more refined and complex flavor than other budget bourbons like Evan Williams Black, Four Roses Yellow, standard Jim Beam, and honestly this is more flavorful for me than something twice the price, like Woodford Reserve. And while Gentleman Jack (my former preference for a TN whiskey) may be smoother and more mellow, it lacks the complexity and flavors of the Dickel and is much costlier. Dickel 12 makes a perfect frequent sipper for the price, yet without tasting cheap. Of course spend a mere $5 more and there are plenty of choices I like as much or more, like Turkey 101, Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam Black, Devils Cut, or particularly Distiller's Cut, and maybe Bulleit depending on mood. It's great to have so many fantastic choices for so little $, but if you're truly sticking to a hard $20 or so limit or just want to try something new, you'd be hard pressed to do better than this great Tennessee whiskey in Dickel 12! Cheers!

Nice taste but gives me a headache