George Dickel Single Barrel 15 Year Old Tennessee Whiskey (750ml)

NB: Alc./Vol. may vary from batch to batch. Diageo says the stocks in the program range between 40%-52.3% ABV.

Released in 2020 as part of a series of 'peak age' editions from Dickel, these high strength gems will please fans of Tennessee styles. Given they're drawn from single barrels, according to Dickel the profiles will range from "...notes of vanilla, toffee and treacle to rich leather, saddle oil and wood, to a more delicate perfume of fruit or lavender notes.” The Cascade Hollow distillery has been quietly producing exceptional whiskeys for years. Only recently has Dickel stepped into the spotlight, supplying a bevy of brands with well-aged Bourbons, filling the void of older MGP stocks which are now drying up. After winning several awards, including the #1 whisky on Whiskey Advocate's top 20 list, Dickel's older age statements are now in high demand. This 15 year old is also a relative rarity from the corporate side of the Bourbon market - and a welcome change from previous official bottlings. Going by the reviews below, it seems Master Distiller, Nicole Austin has saved the very best for these releases.

Other reviews... This has Dickel’s distinctive oily grain aromas: It’s packed with corn and peanuts, and also sweet with brown-sugar oatmeal and maple candy. Add a little water and voila! Orange peel and Luxardo cherry appear, creating an instant Old Fashioned. The palate is chewy and full-bodied, pepped up with cinnamon and dried ginger, and lengthened by grape jelly, Coca-Cola, Corn Nuts, and dried cherries. A full and lengthy finish sings with ginger, peanuts, and chocolaty oak. 52.3% Alc./Vol.
95 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Spring 2021)

...On the nose, this single barrel shows all the hallmarks of classic, well-aged Dickel with rich caramel and subtly savory barrel notes. There’s also loads of baking spice, but unlike the Bottled in Bond 13 Year, the spices here skew towards the brighter end of the spectrum: clove, nutmeg, and freshly grated cinnamon, along with lots of sweet orange zest which really sets this nose apart from other Dickel offerings I’ve encountered. On the palate, that citrus element shines up front with candied peels and clove-studded orange before giving way to cinnamon sugar, buttery yeast rolls, and a gently warming finish of pralines and butter brickle ice cream. It’s not quite as balanced as the well-layered Bottled in Bond, but this is a single barrel, after all. Your mileage will certainly vary with these, but for 15-year-old single barrel American whiskey of this quality, it’s hard to imagine a better value right now. 9.5 / 10 - drinkhacker.com