George Dickel 15 Year Tennessee Single Barrel

48.1% abv / 96.2 proof Open 2 months Nose - Rich oak, toasted marshmallow, toffee, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, light ethanol. Palate - Much sweeter than the nose, caramel, maple syrup, gingerbread with hint of vanilla frosting, and dense oak spice. Finish is medium-long, light sweetness first then followed by oak tannins, baking spices, and gingerbread. Ethanol is barely noticeable throughout the palate/finish. I was excited for this new offering, but I think it is a slight miss. The proof and age are very similar to the recent Bottled-in-Bonds, and ultimately the nose and palate are as well. I was expecting a bit more nuance with this one, but I bet in a blind tasting I would not find many differences between the various high-end George Dickel products. I personally would recommend buying the $40 Bottled-in-Bond or $50 Hand Selected Barrel over this. Instead, I wish Dickel would've released a lower age cask strength around this price point. I think it would fit well in the current market.

My taste of George Dickel 15 year was in the form of a blind sample given to me by a friend. Dickel products get a lot of hate, which I feel is unwarranted. I've enjoyed just about every Dickel offering I've tried. Their stuff tends to skew toward the sweeter side, which may explain my affinity for their juice. It shows it's age with it's dark amber color. The nose is very fragrant floral and honey. On the tongue this is a rich sweet bourbon. It has all the classic flavors like caramel and vanilla, only deeper and richer. I get some nice toasted oak notes, and a bit of candy cherry or possibly twizzler flavor. So smooth too, no bitterness to speak of. There isn't much spice, but it does have a nice warmth. I get some barrel char on the finish. If I can't find a bottle of this for myself, I will definitely be hitting my friend up for another pour.

Neat. Samples - specifically two 104.6 proofs. I do not like the bottle I bought, which is 84.4 proof. I admit, sipping on it tonight, it is not the completely awful but it still stinks. It’s proofed down too much. Now having these two samples, wow. The proof makes the difference. If you are interested in this bottle, the proof makes a giant difference. My first impression on the 84.4 proof was like 1.5 stars. You see the new score above. I’ll give some notes from the better of the two samples below. On the nose, Medicinal cherry but also dark maraschino cherry is really delightful. There is chocolate and white cream here too, creating a cherry cordial. The oak on this is so sweet and inviting. There are also layers of caramel and butterscotch. Bit of black pepper. There is also this fried dough, I would even go as far as a glazed donut. For 15 years old, this is not oaky. It’s sweet and layers of dessert. Mouth feel is oily but thin. Cherry and chocolate assault the tongue immediately. Apple too. Chocolate really carries through from front to finish. Bright cherry and apple again. Lots of vanilla. Finish is apple and vanilla. Kind of confusing for a 15 year. There is a deep bass like note, dark chocolate the more I sip it. The closest thing I can attribute coming from the age. The nose was more dynamic than the taste and finish but the overall experience is delightful. This is worth the $55-$65 dollars if you find a higher proof bottle. I don’t understand the purpose of the different proof levels, feels like they are shooting them selves in the foot leaving it up to chance on what bottle the purchaser finds. I would have given up on this entirely if not for generous friends.

An incredible bourbon that I currently place in my top 5. The barrel influence, at risk of being overpowering, is the prefect complement to a robust and distinct spirit (referring to Dickel’s minerality). A blast of oak, vanilla, char, cherry on the nose. Robust and pungent nose. Perfectly complements the taste, which is deep and oaky without being over oaked. Cherry pie, vanilla and almond extract, Dr Pepper. Finish lasts ages. It’s just spectacular.

My bottle is of the 46.7 abv variety. I really enjoyed it. This bottle has a muted burn commensurate with the abv which quickly fades. The nose is pleasing but not overly intense as to confuse my senses. I was pleased with the hint of a cinnamon type sweetness that that merges with the dickel mineral finish. I have read some other reviews on this bottle. If you want a oaky or leathery finish this not your bottle. This bottle has a fun complexity on the finish that is not wheated sweet or peppery.