The Tennessee whisky has no less claim to being part of Americana as Kentucky Bourbon and if you want proof here it is. G. Augustus Dickel immigrates to Tenn, in the early 1800's, he is a Nashville cobbler who dabbles as a whiskey salesman. George leverages the expertise of distillers Maier Salzkotter, as well as brothers Victor and Emile Shwab to procure the best product. The sister of his new wife marries Victor and together they start the Cascade Hollow distillery. State prohibition comes to Tennessee and their operation is relocated to Lousiville joined by the Arthur Stitzel distillery, shortly federal prohibition slows the production to a trickle and George, well into his 70's retires. When prohibition is finally lifted descendants of Dickel and Shwab relocate back to the Cascade Hollow area to start the second Tennessee Dickel Distillery. In spite of all this including the war and prohibition era, Dickel to this day is one of the truly American whisky(spelled like scotch) experiences thanks to the Dickel/Shwab families dedication to keeping this heritage alive. If you're heading up 24 in Tennessee and see the Tulahoma exit you are but a few miles from the site of one of the real pioneer whiskey distilleries. So about Dickel No 12, those of you who grew up in the country no doubt at one time or another stuck your head in a corn bin, they are big round metal housings for raw corn storage that are anywhere from 500 to 150,000 bushels, and when filled with yellow gold all have a distinct smell of corn and corn dust. With Dickel there isn't any mistaking that this is corn whiskey, the real thing, the heart of the run. Nose, corn rows, row after row that go on for miles, on top of it the buttered popcorn affect and some hints of caramel and butterscotch. Front: sweet corn popped with butter and a nice werthers butterscotch, little bits of rye spice and malt tag along. Finish, just smooth butter, all that extra charcoal filtering pays off and you get no harshness of finish just a nice smooth ride out the gate reminding you of what corn liquor is all about. The Dickel No 12 is smooth, really REALLY smooth. Maybe not all that complex but an ultimate example of what smooth corn shine is like and perhaps maybe the last word on what Tennessee whiskey really is all about.