Lush, rich, and deep from the start, with blackberry, cherry, spiced plum, cinnamon, mint, and maple syrup aromas. Even more density on the palate, which has deep flavors of cocoa powder, Raisinets, roasted walnuts, cinnamon, mint, maple syrup, and chewy oak. Extraordinary length on the finish, which carries the chocolate, dark fruit, spice, mint, and rich oak notes for minutes. A phenomenal follow-up to its 13 year old antecedent, our 2019 Whisky of the Year.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

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.  

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Spring 2021)

Following Tennessee’s practice of charcoal-filtering the distillate before aging, this whiskey is soft around the edges yet delivers plenty of intensity. The mouthwatering peanut aromas evoke memories of cracking open a school lunchbox while the palate delivers abundant fruit: orange marmalade and caramel apple. Fine bitter-sweet balance suggests burnt sugar, Mexican chocolate, chocolate-covered almonds, and toffee. Indeed, sweet nuts, like French burnt peanuts, candied pralines, and marron glacé, seem to be the common thread here, lending this a consistent chord from initial nose through the drying, pleasantly spiced finish. As recently as 2016, Dickel appeared to be reeling, following the departure of two longtime distillers. In 2018, 33 year old Nicole Austin, a chemical engineering graduate who got her start with New York craft distiller Kings County Distillery, took over as general manager and distiller. Austin set about cherry-picking the warehouses for exceptional barrels, a dramatic change of course from the just-released George Dickel Tabasco Brand Barrel Finish, finished in hot sauce barrels. The result is this 13 year old whiskey, which like all bottled in bond spirits results from one distilling season—here, the fall of 2005. In this way, bottled in bond whiskey is similar to a vintage wine, making this release a limited edition by definition. We relish well-aged, delicious whiskey at a bargain price—and all whiskey lovers have reason to applaud George Dickel on hitting its stride. Number 1 in the 2019 Top 20

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2019)

There’s so much peanut in this whiskey, it’s like standing in a JIF factory—but there’s also cracked corn, mixed berries, Coca-Cola, and fresh apples on the nose, along with weathered oak boards, and, when water is added, floral perfume. Powerful dense oak and cooked cherries, berries, and pomegranate on the palate, as well as cherry Popsicle and a heaping scoop of peanuts. The lengthy finish is rich with leathery oak, baking spice, roasted peanuts, and dark chocolate-covered cherries.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2019)

Nicole Austin hasn’t rested on her laurels since George Dickel Bottled in Bond won Whisky of the Year in 2019, continuing to create great and afford- able whiskeys at Cascade Hollow Distillery. This is notably a bourbon rather than a Tennessee whiskey, though the criteria for the two styles mostly overlap. The nose is nutty and well spiced, with caramel corn, toasted pecans, cinnamon graham crackers, cherry tart, and butterscotch candies. There is a friendliness to the palate that makes it ideal for outdoor imbibing, with notes of spearmint, mixed berries, nougat, and honey. Big spice on the finish makes this a memorable sip. Number 5 in the 2021 Top 20

Reviewed by: Ted Simmons (Winter 2021)

Dickel’s now-annual return to bottled in bond, this one following the release of an 11 year old last year and a 13 year old in 2019, which became our Whisky of the Year. Roasted peanuts, marzipan, sweet corn, and bakery shop, with water unlocking cherries, jelly donut, raspberry jam, blueberry pie, fresh grains, and melted caramel. Mouth-coating overall, with a delicate finish that ends with a savory back note of wild herbs.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2021)

The star of the portfolio. A true sipping whisky with elegance and grace. Perhaps the best Tennessee whisky on the market. Honey-soaked corn bread, rhum agricole, ripe nectarine, and glazed citrus. Hint of mint, green tea, and cinnamon. Very polished.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2012)

The newest member of the portfolio and worth every penny. It’s the distillery’s "super-premium" offering, produced in small batches and (for now anyway) small quantities. It is my favorite of the three Dickels from a pure taste perspective, with a lushness, roundness, sophistication and grace not often seen in a bourbon or Tennessee whiskey. All of the flavors of the other two Dickels are in here, and they’re in perfect balance and very tight. (Note: my review was from the first bottling, which was a rectangular-shaped bottle with white lettering. There has since been a second bottling, which I have not yet tasted.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

A lovely nose of overripe pears and baked apple is drizzled with caramel and toffee sweetness, then veers into bakeshop notes of sticky-bun pastry. The rich, mouth-coating palate piles on more sweet fruit and tarte Tatin, with flavors of mocha, peanut chocolate bars, and lemongrass lending complexity. Drying tannins, toasted almond, and sandalwood bring home the finish. Best Value

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Spring 2020)

Tennessee whiskey shall not be undersold in this flavorful version. Rich notes of caramel and vanilla developing in yellow cake batter with dark caramel, brown sugar, leather, toasted pecans, and hints of walnut, smoked apple, and honey. Then red fruit, baking spice, and complex butterscotch over a palate-coating mouthfeel that’s perfectly warm and balanced all over. As good as it is, it could be better with ten more proof points. Its light proof shows in a shorter-than-desired finish. (Tennessee only) 375ml

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2016)

Loaded with lime, grapefruit, lemon, and a hint of ripe melon—followed by bold notes of roasted rye grains. A smooth, balanced palate of lemon drops, candied orange slices, deeper berry notes, and spice aplenty. The fruit wins out, creating a soft profile with hints of bitter chocolate and grain. A long explosion of balanced spice punctuates a finish of honeyed lemon, butterscotch, and rye grain. Smooth, tasty, and well-balanced.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

Fragrant aromas of fresh fruit and caraway on the nose, with dried banana, buttered corn, black currant, raspberry coulis, and preserves being jarred for winter, along with an earthy warehouse note. Smooth and sweet on the palate, with hints of orange peel, candied orange, cocoa, and root beer. The finish is long and pleasurable, if perhaps a bit less complex than the palate, ending with a reprise of lovely earthiness balancing the fruit.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

A nose of peanut oil, roasted pecans, dried figs, crushed herbs, dark fruit, and a light note of dunnage house floor. The palate is layered with flavors of allspice, dark fruit, bitter orange, dark chocolate, and cherry, balanced against drying oak and a light hint of musty attic. The finish dials up notes of fresh blueberry pie, honeyed nuts, peanut butter cookies, sweet red fruits, pancake syrup, and wood spice.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Winter 2019)

A 5 year old rye whisky made in Lawrenceburg, Ind. (with the signature LDI 95% rye mashbill) that went through the Lincoln County Process after aging. A somewhat anemic nose, lightly grassy; sweet with edges of mint, vanilla, and oatmeal. The mouth is more rewarding; the rye’s bitter spice and sweet mint emerge to flame across the tongue. It’s very easy to drink, with a flare of oily mint intensity at the finish. Good, but you expect more from Dickel.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Spring 2013)

By far the “sweet spot” when compared to its siblings. The most versatile and the best value of the entire portfolio. Good enough to enjoy neat, but economical enough to use as a mixer. Caramel corn, vanilla, soft nougat, light barrel char, gentle fruit, hint of cinnamon and nutmeg.Value Pick.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2012)

“Mellow as moonlight” on the label; the old Cascade slogan, from the pre-Dickel branding days at Dickel. This is a throwback too; from before the barrel. The nose is full of sweet and fresh corn “cream” and cornbread, a nod to Dickel’s 84% corn mashbill. Some peppery notes join it on the palate, but that corn sweetness follows all the way to the end. One of the best white whiskeys I’ve tasted, and not overpriced.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Spring 2014)

Youthful, simple, and uncomplicated. Buttered corn, soft vanilla, honey, and bright fruit, with a kiss of spice. Fairly quick finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2012)