Review

George Dickel No 12

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

George Dickel No 12. Tennessee Sour Mash Whisky
45% ABV
$20
Website
george_dickel12new750__44457.1407758405.1280.1280
What the Distillery Says:
The only 90-proof Tennessee Whisky. We blend older whiskies to achieve deep, assertive flavors with an incredibly smooth finish. Bold and brazen, this is our Superior No. 12.

Concentrated flavors of rich oak and subtle vanilla lead to a long finish with hints of maple, butter and smoke. A whisky with enormous depth, range and personality – considered by many to be the gold standard of Tennessee Whisky.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Buttered corn (boiled, not grilled), honey, hint of vanilla and a medicinal note (iodine?)
Palate: Cream of corn transitioning into corn bread; soft mouthfeel and very smooth.
Finish: Short to moderate in length, with a bit of oak as the corn sweetness abates.
Comments: This corn whiskey is . . . oh, err – this isn’t a corn whiskey; it just tastes like it to me. If you like corn whiskey, that’s good news – I do enjoy that from time to time. Unfortunately like many folks, the label sets my expectations – and seeing “Tennessee Whisky” had me prepared for something closer to Jack Daniels than Mellow Corn. Honestly – if I would have approached this like a corn whiskey, I would have a higher opinion of it. The corn (which is 84% of the mashbill!) dominates every aspect of this whiskey for me, and leaves me wanting more of something (anything) else.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says:
Nose: Buttermilk cornbread (should there ever be any other kind?) fresh from the oven drizzled with wildflower honey. There is also a corn whiskey note that reminds me of sniffing the fermentation tanks when I was there.
Palate: More developed than the No. 8. It’s creamier with more aggressive black pepper and heat to offset the sweetness of the vanilla cream and caramel candies.
Finish: Dark cocoa powder dusted over wet toothpicks.
Comments: First let me say kudos to Diageo for the artificial cork. Those not familiar with my personal disdain for natural corks should read our site more. Getting back to the whiskey, I like the taste of this one. It’s got enough going on to keep me interested. That said, the nose is much younger than the palate and the finish is blah. Definitely a step in the right direction from No.8. I would pick this over a glass of Jack if I was drinking it straight but it’s underwhelming compared to similarly priced bourbons.
Rating: Average

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George Dickel No 8

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

George Dickel No 8. Tennessee Sour Mash Whisky
40% ABV
$17
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
The most famous George Dickel whisky. A signature balance of Tennessee whisky flavors, handcrafted for those who want a classic, smooth-sipping experience.

A bold whisky with aromas of light caramel and wood. A smoky finish with hints of maple and buttered corn

What Gary Says:
Nose: Corn bread w/ a bit off drizzled honey, slight medicinal note (iodine?)
Palate: Sweet corn chowder, very soft and creamy, smooth
Finish: Short and sweet.
Comments: If you’re doing a Dickel tasting, definitely start with this (I did it backwards, trying the No 12 first and then the No 8). Both are quite similar, and this reminds me even more of a corn whiskey than what I’ve come to expect as Tennessee whiskey. Basically a younger, lower proof version of the 12. I can’t even refer to this as a “gateway whiskey” for those looking to move from corn to Tennessee whiskey or bourbon, as it doesn’t move far enough out of the “corn” quadrant to count. While it isn’t in my wheelhouse, those who like corn whiskey and a very smooth, easy to drink pour should at least invest $1 or so in a 50 mL of this and see what you think.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says:
Nose: A little bland and uninspired. More closely resembles corn whiskey or new make than an aged product.
Palate: Creamy and sweet with a hint of Luden’s cough drops. It’s not inspiring but it defines the overused adjective “smooth”. You could drink this all day if it didn’t leave you on the floor.
Finish: I’m left with a short finish that has hints of wood, pine straw and chalk.
Comments: I’m not a huge Dickel fan per se. I respect it as a good alternative to Jack Daniels but beyond that in the greater spectrum of bourbon and American whiskey it is just too smooth and easy drinking. It doesn’t have a lot of stand out flavor and there is nothing that makes me want to come back for me. There is nothing off putting either but it’s just bland. This is kind of a whiskey for those that don’t like whiskey.
Rating: Average

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SMWS Cask 93.61

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, SMWSA Whiskies /

SMWS Cask No. 93.61
Campbeltown
58.3% ABV
$?
Date Distilled: June 1999
US Allocation:
January 2015 Outturn Release

What the SMWS Says:
On the nose, the sweet charabanc of sugar puffs, Crunchy-nut cornflakes, fudge cookies, honey and chocolate flapjacks collided into the savoury wall of smoky bacon crisps, barbecued prawns and baked ham. The palate was also a crash site – big, rich and chew, with cinder toffee, spiced sultanas and dark honey on toast scattered in a frightening wreckage of charcoal, ash, liquorice sticks, peat reek and industrial garages. The reduced nose suggested a welder on a Calmac ferry enjoying a Daim Bar. The palate – sweet and (we thought) acceptably dirty with a big spicy finish. From the ‘quiet outsider’ distiller in Campbeltown.

Drinking tip: To aid the visceral enjoyment of a brutal rugby match.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Wow what an interesting dichotomy playing out here. The smoky and savory are close dance partners with the sweeter confectionery notes all while sherry cream plays the chaperone.
Palate: Damn that’s good. The alcohol is there but it is so rich and viscous you hate to add water. That confectionery sweetness from the nose carries into the front of the palate with a rich honey that fades into more of the campfire notes.
Finish: The proof gives it a little heat but after that clears the throat it leaves you with a pleasant sooty woody finish.
Comments: This is a great dram but it drinks at a much higher proof than your typical single malt. Add the water but do it drop by drop until you get it just right. A couple of drops too much and you’ve killed it. It turns bland, uninspired, and the richness is gone.
Rating: Must Try

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SMWS Cask No 36.67

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, SMWSA Whiskies /

SMWS Cask No. 36.67
Speyside, Spey
59.9%% ABV
Distilled June 2004
$?
US Allocation: ? Bottles
January 2015 Outturn Release

What the SMWSA Says:
A good example of whiskey transformed by water – we didn’t know what to make of the nose – quite fruity (baked apple, fruit salad, watermelon, lemon curd, pear-drops) with an odd assortment of other aromas – Hawaiian pizza (pineapple, ham, pizza dough) pine forests and model kits. With water, suddenly the sweetness was released – caramel wafers, honeycomb crunch ice-cream and vanilla fudge. The unreduced palate seemed sweet and sour – pineapple dusted with chilli and salt, peppery Cream Soda and a slightly metallic finish – but water settled it down to zesty key lime pie and biscuity flavours – intensely tasty. Named after Speyside’s biggest mountain.

Drinking tip: As an aperitif or to awaken the senses.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Aromatic fruit cream with pears and pineapples being the most prevalent. Water opens up a honey sweetness and a back note reminiscent of craft root beer.
Palate: Surprisingly rich for a young malt with a wisp of smokey wood. Water mellows the heat but also the richness. It’s very easy to drink when you add the water but it settles into more of a malty note that has less dimensions to it.
Finish: It finishes much for malty and cereal like than expected. Not unpleasant but it leaves me wanting a drink of water.
Comments: This dram has a bit of a love/hate relationship to water. It mellows the alcohol and makes it more drinkable but also makes it more bland. The nose is better with water but the palate is a bit worse off. Play with the water on this one with care.
Rating: Stands Out

Review sample provided courtesy of the SMWSA and is available to society members through their website or 800.990.1991.

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Compass Box Great King Street Glasgow Blend

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box Great King Street Glasgow Blend Blended Scotch Whisky
43% ABV
$45
Website
CompassBox-GKS-Glasgow-bs
What the Blender Says:
Our Great King Street range is dedicated to applying a contemporary approach to the creation of Blended Scotch Whiskies in the full-flavoured style of the late 19th century blending houses. To this, we lend a 21st century sense of exploration and innovation, for which the Compass Box Whisky Company is known, to create Scotch whiskies that surprise and delight people seeking great spirits.

In his 1930 book “Whisky”, Aeneas MacDonald teaches us that Glaswegians historically preferred fuller bodied and more flavour-packed whiskies than
people in other parts of the world.

So what better name for a whisky such as this? You’ll find here a rich vein of peaty-smokiness, underpinned by sherry cask-aged whiskies, full of dried fruit and wine character. The palate is full and round, with a sweetness typical of whiskies from our company.

For decades, The Wellington Statue, outside Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art, has been cheekily topped by a traffic cone, something the local population has taken to heart as a symbol of their sense of humour. It has become one of Glasgow’s most iconic images, and graces our label for the Glasgow Blend.

Flavour Descriptors
Full, rich and smoky on the palate, with notes of baking spices and sherry wine notes.

Recommendations
Perfect for drinking neat, with a splash of water or with ice. You can also enjoy Glasgow Blend with soda water as a classic Highball, or in all manner of cocktails.

Distillery Sourcing
33% Lowland grain whisky from a Fife distillery.
67% Malt whisky from the regions of Islay, the Highlands and Speyside.
The Islay single malt comes from south shore distillery (approximately 20% of the total recipe), vatted with a fruity malt from the village of Brora and a rich sherrried Speyside malt from the Aberlour region (approx. 33%). A small percentage of Speyside and Highland malts complete the recipe.

Wood
A combination of first-fill Sherry casks, first-fill and refill ex-Bourbon barrels and a small portion of new French oak finishing.

Bottling details
Bottled at 43%
Not chill-filtered
Natural colour

What Richard Says:
Nose: This has a lovely rich earthy sherry nose with a balanced undertone of peat smoke.
Palate: Creamy in the mouth with a mellow brown sugar baked apple sweetness that plays with light campfire smokiness.
Finish: Smoky and spicy on the way out.
Comments: There’s a lot going on here. It’s like the culmination of all the scotch fads of the last 15 years. It weaves together in a surprisingly balanced way which speaks to John Glaser’s talent. This is probably my least favorite of the three releases to hold the Great King Street to date name but it’s still a cracking dram worthy of a spot on your shelf.
Rating: Stands Out

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