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George Dickel 13 Year Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whisky (Fall 2005)
Tennessee Whiskey — Tennessee, USA
Reviewed
July 18, 2019 (edited September 8, 2021)
This finally hit NC. As a fan of all things Cascade Hollow, this has been my most anticipated release this year. Let's see if it lives up to my expectations. It pours into the Glencairn with an amber tending toward orangish hue. After a quick swirl, it takes forever to form small slow moving legs.
NOSE: You are immediately hit with Corn and that trademark Flintstone Chewable Vitamin Note, but both of those fade rather quickly to be replaced by Strong Barrel Charred Oak, Vanilla, Sugary Confections like Candy Corn or Marshmallow, and Grilled Fruit (maybe Peach and Pineapple?). The longer it sits the better it gets, eventually picking up a savory note of Smoked Pork. This is a bold nose. The notes aren't subtle, they are definitely in your face. Oddly, if the usual banana note is there, I'm completely missing it.
NEAT: Thick and Clingy. Again, Bold is the key word here. Not overly complex at first, dominated by Oak Tannins. Subsequent sips bring notes of Syrupy Fruit (like one of those fruit cocktail cups), those Wet Walnuts that you top ice cream with, Vanilla and more slightly Bitter Oak. Slightly drying finish with just the right amount of heat. It is very clingy and your tongue is coated with the Syrupy Fruit and Charred Oak that hangs on well past the time that you're ready for another sip giving the flavor a building or cumulative effect. The more you drink, the better it gets. Again, the banana note so prevalent in the 12 presents more as fruit cocktail with the extra age.
SPLASH: A few drops of water changes the fruit on the nose to Fruity Pebbles Cereal (what is it with Dickel and the Flintstones?). Brings a little more balance to the palate by reducing the Bitter Tannins and accentuating the Sweeter Oak Notes. The Syrupy Fruit Note remains, now joined by a hint of Mint. The nose on the empty glass was amazing. All gooey caramel, burnt sugar and baked apples.
VERDICT: A little overwhelming at first, but spend some time with it and man does it deliver. As expected for thirteen years, very oak driven but some water removes the bitter tannins if they do not agree with your palate. The sweet notes combined with the thick clingy character would make this a perfect post dinner pour. All of that for $36. Dickel has hit a homerun with this one, and I'm hoping there are more reasonably priced releases on the way from Cascade Hollow.
36.0
USD
per
Bottle
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I just can't pull much of the fruit notes out of this that others are getting but then my sniffer may well be shot at this point. What I do get is a whole lot of really good corn bourbon sugar notes on the nose and some great spice on the backside. I certainly like this offering from Dickel, they did US a huge solid with a 13 year old BiB of this calibre at a really fair price.
@HTX_Bourbon Cheers! It’s definitely a great whisky.
Solid review. Agree with all. Thank You!
@Benji-Robert, definitely worth it at less than $40 out the door. One you can savor or share to your heart’s content at that price.
definitely going to be on the lookout for a bottle after your review. it sounds like a more fruit-forward and aged version of Jack's master distiller series Jesse Gamble edition. this sounds like a bottle you can sip and savor or go wild on with somebody.
@BDanner I’ve learned to appreciate options, took me a while lol. Thanks 👍
@OldDude, to me the Dickel 12 is a much better Tennessee Whisky than JD for less money with a higher proof. This BIB takes it to a whole new level. But, thanks to some reviews here, I gave the JD Single Barrel a shot and it is damn good whiskey. So there may be a few options out there for you in the Tennessee Whiskey category.
I’ve never been a huge fan of Tennessee whiskey myself, just personal preference I guess. Maybe it’s because of JD’s overbearing presence and my indifference to this “Budweiser” of Tennessee whiskey, but after reading this review, this one sparked my interest. It’s funny I guess how previous experience with a brand can influence your willingness to be open minded or close doors. I’ll be giving this one a try 👍. It’s like how I feel about wheated bourbon, never really had the wow factor for me. Then I read @BeppeCovfefe recent review of MM 46, well that made me sit up and take notice too. You guys are teaching this Old Dude new tricks. You guys are far more informed than I, and really present your views and insights in an objective honest format.
This was the brainchild of their new master distiller—she really wanted to place a well aged BiB at an affordable price. I think she put the other bourbon makers on notice...make good quality stuff at prices folks can afford
Nice review. Really liked your parallel to chewable Flintstone vitamins... fortunately it fades rather quickly - lol. Sounds like it had solid legs 👍