George Dickel Reserve 17 Year Old Cask Strength Tennessee Whiskey (750ml)

This is not actually a new product, as a 17-year-old Dickel was first released in 2016, available only at Dickel’s visitor’s center and a few Tennessee retailers. Now the product is reaching a larger audience, thanks to Cascade Hollow Distilling General Manager and Distiller, Nicole Austin who “intentionally searched for barrels that captured the notable components of the original liquid”. Consistent with the brand's signature whiskey, the mash bill is 84 per cent corn, 8 per cent rye, and 8 per cent malted barley.  What is odd about this release is that it's labelled 'Cask Strength", but it’s only 46% ABV. We can only assume this is a factor of the aging process at Cascade Hollow, where relatively cool temperatures result in barrels losing considerable strength as they age. Thankfully, 92 proof tends to be a bit of a sweet spot for most whiskeys.

Other reviews... A zesty nose with sweet notes of maple syrup and Sugar Daddy, green banana and musty oak lead to a palate that offers bitter chocolate, coffee, and more mature oak. While the wood influence is strong, the flavor profile manages to hang in there and emerges well balanced. Overall, it is fairly light in its flavor footprint, which seems somewhat constrained by the barrel influence, but is nevertheless a very sippable, enjoyable whiskey. 91 points - whiskyadvocate.com

...On the palate, dueling oak impressions take center stage, with sweet oak notes giving way to deeply charred oak and bittersweet espresso. Light smoke melds with toffee sweetness, roasted nuts and very dark and dried fruit, along with baking spice notes of cinnamon. There’s considerable tannin, a big oak presence at least partially balanced by candy sweetness, but the oak and dryness overall wins out in the finish, with a lingering, woodsy aftertaste that evokes a bit of pine. All in all this is pretty elegant, having just a touch of roasty astringency, but no elements that are unbalanced or overly oaked—rather, the balance falls only gently into the camp of oak over sweetness. This whiskey shows the sort of deft blender’s hand that we’ve come to associate with Nicole Austin’s projects at Dickel, and this bottle will be a real treat to those who love oaky whiskey, and those who like roast/char and dark fruit in bourbon. Honestly, it’s pretty much exactly what you would hope a 17-year-old expression of Dickel would taste like. - pastemagazine.com