George Dickel 9 Year Hand Selected Barrel

GEORGE DICKEL HAND SELECTED BARREL 9YR(ish??) Barrel #: 14D02-21704 Date: 04/02/2014 *NOSE: Thick and Syrupy. Oak, Vanilla, Maple, Praline, Toffee upfront. Underlying Grassy notes. A whiff of Freshly Mowed Lawn and Hay. A touch of heat is the only drawback I detect. *NEAT: The Syrupy Sweetness persists. A Heavy Coating Mouthfeel. Oak, Cherry Cola, Maple, Vanilla. A pleasant warming finish with a feeling of warmth spreading in the chest. There's a faint medicinal note on the finish that lingers. Cherry Cough Syrup? It adheres stubbornly, coating the tongue, teeth, gums, and cheeks. Quite good. *SPLASH: Brings out some Tannins and a bit of the Flintstone Vitamin character associated with Cascade Hollow. A slight Bitterness on the Finish. Not enough to spoil it, but it's certainly superior neat. *VERDICT: My fondness for all things Cascade Hollow took a significant blow with the 15YR release. However, the 11 and 13 year BIB’s have remained stellar, and the Dickel 8YR Bourbon is very solid. This remarkable Hand Selected Barrel reminds me that George Dickel deserves a place back in my regular rotation. 4.25 **I believe this might be closer to 10-11 years old. It was barreled in April of 2014 and was new to the shelf at the VA ABC I visited.

Drinking this neat, from the first pour. This is a store pick, barrel number 144, 51.5% ABV. I'm detecting light banana, but also cherry? That's unexpected. There's charcoal mixed with what smells like nail polish remover. Lots of oak in this one. The finish is exceptionally smooth, as anticipated with the charcoal filtering. Once again, I detect oak and a leathery quality. I'm not entirely certain this is precisely what I had in mind, but that's the inherent risk with store picks, and with Dickel in general. I plan to follow this tasting with the 2008 fall release 9yr to compare.

My bottle was acquired at John's City Diner. It exhibits the characteristic Dickel flavors: slightly fruity, a bit smoky, with a discernible mineral note. I detect ample sweetness and a pleasant, rich spiciness. Corn, baking spices, and charred oak are evident. The finish is sweet without any bitterness. This is a fine bottle for sipping.

Summary: A sweet, nutty whiskey that evolves into a sticky, sweet cherry cinnamon pastry. Color: Light Gold / Honey Nose: Begins with a varnish-like scent, then opens to sweet almond with notes of cherry and grape. Taste: Syrupy sweetness with flavors of cinnamon, baking spices, and dark fruits. Finish: A spicy yet smooth medium finish.

Nose: Brown sugar and maple. Neat: Sweet and spicy. Notes of brown sugar, vanilla, caramel, and buttered corn harmonize well with a considerable amount of spice throughout. The spice initially creates a harshness but softens into a pleasant spicy flavor on the finish. Overall, quite enjoyable.

A quality bourbon. A little better than expected for what it costs. However, I would select a different bottle if I were to spend this much again. This particular selection came from Southern Spirits in SC; it's decent, but I like other store selections we've experienced more than this one.