My first tasting experience with George Dickel happened just a couple weeks ago and that was with their Superior No. 12 Whisky. I had heard do much about the brand that I finally had to try it!

George Dickel was established in Tennessee around the 1870’s by George Dickel. Alcohol producer giant, Diageo, now owns the brand. Superior No. 12 Whisky is 90% proof and the mash bill is composed of corn, rye and barley. Although it is an American whiskey, Dickel adopted the Scottish tradition of spelling whisky without the “e” for his brand.  Other whiskies in the George Dickel range include: George Dickel No. 1 Whisky; Classic No. 8 Whisky; Rye Whisky and the Barrel Select.

The smell of this No. 12 was a bit pungent so I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I tasted it. The good news, it was quite impressive and tasty.

Tasting Notes
Nose: pungent, oak, sour and hints of leather
Palate: It’s buttery and smooth with notes of vanilla, oak and maple
Finish: There is a bite to this whisky but there is a sweet ending finish

I really enjoyed this whisky. It is complex and although strong, the surprising notes of sweetness always jump in to help balance it out.

It is a good whisky to try but I think it might be somewhat strong for those just starting to drink any type of whisky. If you are just getting started and find this whisky to be too strong, a good way to try it would be in a cocktail. A place to look for recipes is right on the George Dickel website, recipes link provided here.

This whisky is priced under $30 on all the sites I checked online. For a good quality product, you can’t beat that price. Cheers!

Note: The contents on my blog are solely my opinion. To me every palate is different! Although I may or may not like a product, I always recommend for people to try it and make up their own minds.