George Dickel 15 Year Tennessee Single Barrel

This is "bottle 21" (could they mean barrel 21?), a single barrel bottling at 40% ABV, that spent a year in the Utah Dept Alcohol Beverage Services warehouse before purchase. I grabbed it without checking the proof closely and was surprised by the low alcohol content given prior reviews. Tasting neat. It has a brown, shiny copper color with average legs coating the glass. The aroma presents bubble gum, oak, caramel corn, and damp roasted peanut shells. On the palate, it's thin corn syrup, wet rock minerality, and artificial fruity bubble gum. Some oak is present, but it's damp, lacking tannic or char bite. The mouthfeel is thin. There's minimal vanilla and almost no baking spice. The finish is sharp, musty, and thankfully brief, except for that artificial fruit taste. While I don't typically have issues with Dickel products like some others do, this is a major letdown. Partially my fault for not noticing the proof and passing on this 80 proof bottle. Perhaps at 90 or 100 proof it might show some character, but this is...not it. Single barrels are a gamble, and this one is...a miss. After seeing what others have written about this 15-year bourbon (here, and especially on the Breaking Bourbon website...they enjoyed it but did note barrel-to-barrel variation), I feel I got a really weak barrel diluted to 80 proof. I'd prefer a tannic, over-oaked bourbon (as some reviewers mentioned) to this bland bottle. I wish you better luck. At least be wiser than me and avoid an 80 proof selection. To add insult to injury, the bottle doesn't sit flat; it wobbles on the table. 🙄😑 Revisited 3 days later, and my initial assessment stands--this is indeed a very weak single barrel offering. An ice cube dilutes it further, and I doubt it would perform well in any cocktail. A very disappointing purchase. Adjusting rating to a generous 2.25. And the bottle still wobbles like a dashboard hula dancer. WTF!

You can certainly smell that Dickel mineral character! It's like opening a jar of Flintstone vitamins and taking a sniff. But the Flintstones stop at the minerals, while the whisky continues with loads of deep caramel, dark sugar, and chocolate malt powder. It smells a lot like the batter for my favorite brown butter cookies. The mouthfeel is almost heavy, with a light oily texture, and very easy to approach. No heat, no burn, no ethanol. The palate is sweet, but balanced. There's a substantial amount of caramel and vanilla, but then a wave of baking spice emerges and captures your attention before the slightest hint of oak brings everything to a neat, clean, and enjoyable conclusion. It's not overly complex, and you won't spend 20 minutes dissecting it to find new flavors. But you don't need to, because it presents everything upfront, making it easy to find and easy to enjoy. Approachable. And quite tasty. And definitely worth picking up if you can find one nearby.

Aroma: sugar, citrus candy, vanilla bean, and smoke from charred wood; a wonderful smell. Later, a hint of wood like fine shavings. Body: thin and not substantial Taste: a burst of sweetness, green apple, sugar, and smoky cocoa. Finish: lingering smoke and sugar, citrus candy. The long finish is unexpected considering the light body. Impression: this is a truly delightful whiskey. It's a bit perplexing because it's light and not robust but packed with taste. I'd say it lacks a certain hearty quality. Very easy to sip and has great taste. The flavors on the palate mirror the aroma. The finish is long and smoky just how I prefer it.

My previous assessment stands, though I've reduced the score. The vitamin-like note everyone mentions is definitely present in this bottle. The most disappointing aspect is the lack of a finish. This particular bottle has been so diluted that the finish is flat or nonexistent. If it had more spice and a bit more proof, I believe my rating would improve, but as it stands, I've lowered my score and it remains disappointing.

What began as a mineral astringency bordering on sour for the initial approximately 25% of the bottle, evolved into a nicely oaked, creamy Tennessee whiskey through the middle 50%. However, the final quarter of the bottle reverted to that overly oaked, musty grape Flinstones vitamin flavor that I dislike in Dickel products. It's a single barrel, and mine was slightly above 80 proof, so I'm curious to try one of the higher proof versions, but I would just as soon opt for the Dickel Bottled in Bond instead, which I find considerably more balanced.

My father used to enjoy George Dickel many years ago… before single barrel bottlings were even common. This is my first encounter with it, as he had switched to Wild Turkey before I developed an interest. This was surprisingly mild and smooth! I also noted a "funky" element in the tasting profile, as there's a flavor hint I haven't quite identified. But to be fair, the brie, meat, and crackers might have influenced my perception. I typically conduct my tasting first. Nevertheless… I don't believe this represents my father's George Dickel experience...