Whiskey Wednesday – Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years
Late last year, Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., the maker of George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, released its elegantly aged and blended Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years. This very limited release is take on Dickel Bourbon, the 8 year aged that debuted in 2021.
Ever since Nicole Austin landed at Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. in Tullahoma, Tennessee, she has been knocking it out of the park on the releases from George Dickel. She has been responsible for some excellent Bottled In Bond whiskies from George Dickel as well as the award-winning Dickel Bourbon. Now Austin is the Director of George Dickel & Luxury Whiskey and she created something truly unique and quite magnificent with the new Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years.
“We created Dickel Bourbon to give people an approachable and balanced bourbon that is high-quality and complex in flavor,” said Austin. “I loved the idea of building upon that craftsmanship of our mature whisky and creating something with that same traditional feel, and also more premium. I’m excited for people to try Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years because it’s a rare and beautifully aged whisky, but still exhibits a surprising brightness and wide range of complexity that is not often found in American Whiskies of this age.”
Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years began just like other variants in the George Dickel portfolio with a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye and 8% malted barley. It was then aged in charred oak barrels and blended to perfection. Then it rested in barrels in the distillery’s single-story rickhouses for 18 years and then blended by Austin and bottled at 90 proof.
We were fortunate enough to receive a sample bottle of Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years. We recently sat down with a few others to learn and discover what an 18 year old Tennessee Bourbon has to offer.
The nose on the Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years is full of baking spices, a touch of green apple and oak. It is quite decadent and intriguing. Moving onto the palate, it offers up complex cinnamon, toffee, smokiness and touch of nuttiness. A bit of stone fruit also enters into the mix. It finishes with a pleasant oaky dryness that led us to wanting more. Unfortunately there was no more left to share.
Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years was officially unveiled at the historic Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. to both national and local media earlier this month. Guests were treated to an exclusive, first-tasting of the new release and a private performance from the acclaimed husband-and-wife duo – The War and Treaty – who debuted their new song “Mr. Fun” off of their upcoming album and sang their hits “Lover’s Game” and “Set My Soul On Fire”.
Bourbon fans can find Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years rolling out in select markets, including Washington State, for a limited time at a robust and somewhat unusual suggested retail price of $510 per 700mL bottle. For more information, visit GeorgeDickel.com.
About The Author
DJ
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.