And so, here we are. I’m at the end of my long overdue run through the George Dickel line of whiskeys. Well, except for the Bottled in Bond, which doesn’t seem to be distributed to Minnesota or any of its neighboring states. And also for the unaged Dickel version which, let’s be fair, I’m probably not doing unless someone else is buying.
I probably shouldn’t say this, but if anyone really wants me to review that one, reach out. If I can find it, and you Venmo me the money, I’ll do it. I just really don’tr want to spend my own money on something I’m unlikely to drink. (Shit, I probably shouldn’t have said that. The last thing I need is for someone to buy me a bracket’s worth of TerraPure as a prank.)
Anyway back to the topic at hand. George Dickel Barrel Select. This was honestly the first Dickel I bought. I bought it long enough ago that I was still posting photos of every new bourbon purchase to Twitter because I still had faith in humanity and still used Twitter as more than glorified advertising. I’m guessing it was in the 2010/2011 timeframe. I didn’t remember liking it. The Dickel, not the Twitter. Well, not enough to buy it in the decade or so since.
But there is a funny thing about a length of time that long. Palates evolve. There are whiskeys I liked 10 years ago, that I no longer like nearly as much (seems this also applies to Twitter). And tonight, I’m going to see if the inverse is also true. George Dickel Barrel Select is the “finest whiskey” that Dickel offers. Well, if you believe their website that is. I’ll let them get their say before I jump in with my thoughts:
Our very finest whisky, for the truly discerning whisky drinker. Only 10 barrels are hand-selected by our Distiller for this small-batch handcrafted whisky. Aged between 10 and 12 years. Charcoal mellowing and our unique aging process form a smooth, premium whisky that stands in a class all by itself. A perfectly balanced, rich and silky taste with hints of vanilla, spice and charcoal.
George Dickel Barrel Select
Purchase Info: $42.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Blue Max, Burnsville, MN
Price per Drink (50mL): $2.87
Details: 43% ABV. Made from 10 bottle batches. The website says it ranges from 10-12 years old.
Nose: Almond, grapefruit, wintergreen, white sugar.
Mouth: Almond, caramel, baking spice, oak, and a light mineral note.
Finish: Medium and gentle on the finish with minimal burn. Lingering sweet caramel, dry oak, mineral, and almond notes.
Thoughts: I was underwhelmed by this during my “official” tasting in a Glencairn glass. I wasn’t getting any of the oak notes that I was expecting from a whiskey that was as old as they say this is. My initial notes say that it was mellow and sweet with a good flavor. I still agree with that but a different day, or a different glass, has allowed me to notice the dry oak notes that I hadn’t noticed on the first go-round. The heat seems to be better too. I’ll officially give this a rating of “like” since I really like it. After the first tasting, I wasn’t nearly as positive on it. Goes to show what multiple tastes will do.
For a little behind-the-scenes info, this is why I like to take multiple passes on a whiskey, in different types of glassware, before reviewing it. The first tasting, the Glencairn one, is basically the first draft. We get a broad outline, but subsequent drinks and tastings help refine the notes and add things that were missed. If you see a small sample bottle in the photo, you can be sure that the notes and thoughts are based solely on the first draft. If you see a bigger bottle, then we’ve had the chance to do a full review of the product.
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