George Dickel No. 12

Tasting this neat from a NEAT tasting glass. I'm evaluating this side-by-side with the Dickel 8-year bourbon. It's almost unbelievable that two whiskies so similar, and separated by only about a dollar in my local market (Tampa), could exist. I enjoyed the Dickel 8-Year Bourbon considerably, especially at its sub-$25 price. On the nose, the Dickel 12 presents sweeter with notes of creamy peanut butter, caramel, and vanilla. There's a slight perfume note and a whiff of latex paint in the trailing aromas if you inhale deeply. In contrast, the 8-Year has more of a cake frosting sugar note, but it's firmly balanced by barrel char, vanilla, and dry oak tannins. On the palate, the 8-Year begins with sweetness, featuring caramelized sugar and vanilla, followed by baking spices and a warming finish. The 12 is less sharp in its introduction of barrel sugars, is softer overall in its focus, and is less complex. The 12 feels slightly thinner and also more uniform in its flavor profile. It's akin to a lens that's slightly out of focus, making it difficult to discern individual flavor details. It's very tasty, but not demanding at all. I've consumed about half of the 12 so far. It makes a very good Manhattan and an equally good Paper Plane. It's entirely acceptable as a sipper. However, for $1 less in my market, the 8-Year Bourbon is the superior purchase and the more intriguing expression. I doubt I will replace this bottle when it's finished, but I will definitely replace the 8-Year. George Dickel No. 12 is a respectable Tennessee whiskey. It's enjoyable either neat or in cocktails. It's affordable. It's not challenging and is a suitable choice for a drinker with a less adventurous palate. It just seems to lack that certain spark.

I previously reviewed this whisky on April 8th of last year. A year later, my observations differ, partly due to the development of my palate over time, and undoubtedly partly due to the subjective nature of whisky assessment. I held it in higher regard previously than I do now, but I had less experience then, and its diminished standing is not a reflection of the whisky's quality, but rather a result of discovering even superior spirits since. The mash bill consists of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% barley. A fifth cost me $27.99 at Kelly Liquors (only a couple of dollars more than I paid at Total Wine a year ago, which is remarkable given Total Wine's typically lower prices and the significant price increases since January 2021). NOSE: Vanilla, pecans, honey, an unidentifiable grain note, cinnamon, sweet corn, something earthy, peanuts, and puffed wheat. MOUTHFEEL: Silky TASTE: Honey, oak, cinnamon, charred wood (expected due to the Lincoln County process), black pepper, and pecans. FINISH: Medium length, featuring only pecans and a touch of oak. SUMMARY: The taste lacks the complexity of the nose but is still good. I particularly appreciate the nuttiness of this whisky. This was the first whisky where I detected a nutty note (pecans in the finish), and while I've since noticed nuts in other whiskies, this remains the nuttiest I've encountered.

Mashbill #12, aged 6-8 years, bottled at 90 proof. Tasted neat. Color is a golden brown, with strong lingering legs on the glass. Viscous. The aroma is sweet cherry fruit, brown sugar, and vanilla oak. In the mouth, tannic oak and char, burnt brown sugar over the top of fruit. Viscous mouthfeel. Spicy rye and baking spices come through as this heads to the finish, which is long and warming (ethanol) with char smoke, grassy rye, and tannic vanilla oak. Was impressed by this $23 bottle. I like it more than the 13 year old BIB Dickel at $45 that I tasted recently, and now side by side. This is sweeter, thicker, more complex all the way through to the finish, without the distinct sour flavor. I disagree with the Tasters' reviews of this and the 2008 13 y.o. that dropped in 2022. I feel like they have it backwards, but... that's the beauty of individual tastes...and maybe the benefit of the individualistic reviews that this site relies on. We all have different expectations going in, and different reactions to complex flavors on the fly. Not to mention the nostalgia-bias of a brand you drank in college in the 1970s. Such is life. So...try it yourself and make up your own mind. Heck, how wrong can you go for $23. Maybe I'm being too generous, but I think not--maybe too conservative.

With the most popular president ever in what was the fairest election, we as Americans collectively decided we wanted things to be worse than before. So now we have what we wished for and are very happy. The bourbon market feels appropriately priced now that our politicians have put us trillions deeper in debt to enrich themselves for our benefit. This means prices for everything have happily soared, and scarcity is everywhere. You have to give bourbon credit for being so ahead of its time. However, a few stubborn holdouts from the past remain, being fair and reasonable while maintaining high value and low cost. The main threat to our system is George Dickel. Undoubtedly leading this radical movement, it continues to be the best deal in bourbon, especially this bottle. It's also damn good. So, before these last few holdouts are eliminated, grab it while you can. Because America is building back better, baby. Not better for us, just for the elite. And apparently, we're all okay with that. Forever.

For its price, this is an excellent whisky – it drinks like it costs at least $5 more than I paid. I've recently had several tastings that were quite underwhelming, but this one surpassed my expectations, which were already high based on the No. 8. This is a nice, sweet, confident whisky that might become a favorite. NOSE: Alcohol, corn, vanilla, fried bananas. TASTE: A general sweetness, brown sugar, cinnamon, pie crust, and honey – it resembles apple pie, though I didn't detect any apples. I also didn't notice any oak, which was surprising; it also surprised me that I didn't mind, as I've grown to appreciate some oak flavor. FINISH: Alcohol, spicy honey, and finally an oak that persists.

Smells like a freshly sliced apple, peanuts, caramel, clean vanilla, and medicinal cherries. Tastes of caramel, vanilla, cherry, mint or mint tea, black licorice, herbs, and that distinct Flintstone vitamins flavor. The finish is relatively short, maintaining a sweet and bitter mix with some astringency. Overall, it's divisive for good reason. As someone who genuinely enjoyed conversation heart candies as a child and loves black licorice, I find this quite appealing, though individual experiences will vary. If this flavor profile is your preference, it offers solid value for the cost.