Cornmuse Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 (edited) A brief whiskey review - George Dickel Bottled-in-Bond 2005 13 year old versus 2008 11 year old. Let me start by saying this right up front; I love George Dickel whiskey. Especially this expression. I'd not had any Dickel before trying the first gen BiB and I was an instant fan. For under $40 its a steal. Both expressions have been highly lauded, with Whisky Advocate announcing the 13 year George Dickel Bottled in Bond as the 2019 "Whisky of the Year." But what happens when one expression is done and another is released? How do they stack up? Let's find out... Both were tasted neat, and with a few drops of distilled water, from a glencairn. Plenty of time was allowed for the whiskey to rest before tasting. The two whiskies are indistinguishable in color and viscosity, showing slight sheeting and thin legs. On the nose the 13 y.o. is a caramel candy bomb with notes of minerality. The 11 hits me as maybe being just a touch more intensely aromatic, but that could be because the is the first pour from a fresh bottle. They are close. Very close. On the palate the 13 delivers on its sweet promise with caramel and cherry notes, barrel char, bitter oak, demarara sugar, and a finish that hints of ginger and clove. It's a classic sweet bourbon taken to a silky, smooth finish by the Lincoln County process of filtering. Lovely. My first impression of the 11 year is that it is slightly more caramel, slightly less cherrry, a bit more oaky, and just a touch drier. I don't think I could tell the difference if I weren't tasting them side-by-side. This may be the better choice for an Old Fashioned or Manhattan cocktail. They are close in character as befits the label. With 3 drops of water the 11 year old is creamier, a bit less peppery on the finish. In both cases the caramel is pushed forward by the water. These are very, very close. My wife, whose taste buds are not to be dismissed and who often calls my attention to the smallest of details, says the 11 is the better of the two. According to her "it's not close". For me, a blind tasting would be challenging. These are excellent examples of the distiller's art. Nicole Austin, the master distiller at GD Diageo, is a real artist and her touch has pushed these into my regular rotation along with Wild Turkey Rare Breek, Knob Creek, and Old Grand Dad 114. The 13 is gone, but wise money might bunker 1 or 2 for future tastings. The 11 is here and readily available under $40. I'm going to enjoy this while it's available and I"m putting a few in the bunker. Definitely a buy recommendation from me! My scale for reviewing starts at 1-star (unacceptable under any circumstances) and proceeds to 5-star (a perfect example of the expression). Most "mass market" whiskies should be on the bell curve at or near 2.5. Good is 3. Anything above a 4 is part of my "curated" collection. Both of these releases sit at a solid 3.75 for me, and flirt with a 4.0 (Rare Breed territory). All I can say is that I don't intend to run out... Edited October 15, 2020 by Cornmuse 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob_Loblaw Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 Great SBS and review. I bought the 13 year for $35 last year. Tried a pour at a bottle share and was not impressed, but I am not a fan of the Dickel profile. As someone who grew up eating Flintstone vitamins I am just not able to get past that familiar gritty mineral component. This year I easily passed on the 11 yr at $45 all over the place. Maybe had pricing stayed the same, or even was reversed, I would have fired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueby Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 (edited) I have never been fan of Dickel as I also don't care for that vitamin note. I can usually pick it out on the nose alone as soon as a bottle is popped open even from a couple feet away. I did try the 13 y.o. BIB. It came as part of a flight at a liquor store/bar in Louisville. While it did seem to have slightly less of the vitamin-ness it was still there and just destroyed any chance of picking out any of those other notes you mention. My mind just fixates on that smell and taste. I heard so many awesome things about it and I really wanted to like it but just couldn't. I couldn't even finish the pour. If I were using your scale it would be about a 1.1. I'm glad you like it and if its your jam it seems like a great deal for a well aged BIB. Edited October 17, 2020 by Clueby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzhead Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 I like the vitamin note; when I'm in the mood for Dickel it always hits the spot. I'm about two-thirds through with a bottle of the 13 yo BIB, and it's as good as any Dickel Select I've had. A really fine iteration of Dickel and its taste profile, fuzzy and warm for sipping. I'll look for the new one. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven s Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 i've tried numerous times, but it's the one whiskey i just can't "vibe" with. (i have teenage daughters) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts