who came first Dickel or Daniels

[scottd]

I know that George Dickel Whisky and Jack Daniels Whiskey are Sour Mash and not Bourbon.

Can any one tell me who was first out of the two and what they think is the better one of the two?

[bluesbassdad]

Welcome aboard, scottd!

May I first correct a misimpression?

Yes? Very well, then ...

The term "sour mash" describes a process that is in no way inconsistent with the production of bourbon. It means only that a portion of the spent mash is mixed with the next, new batch of mash. As I understand from people who know much more about the industry than I do, this practice is standard for all bourbon producers. Putting it on the label is akin to advertising such as "Our automobile comes with a steering wheel."

In reality what sets Tennessee whiskey apart from bourbon is the so-called "Lincoln County process", whereby the whiskey is filtered through maple charcoal before being placed in barrels for aging. Occasionally an argument will break out here as to whether that process would prevent the maker from calling the product bourbon, if they wanted to.

One side argues that adding a step to the normal process for producing bourbon does not disqualify the product (under Federal definition) from being sold as bourbon. The other side says that the charcoal not only removes certain flavor elements, it adds something -- in noncompliance with the Federal regs.

I don't know when each brand originated. Perhaps their websites would include claims (not always to be believed) in that regard.

As to which is better, that's strictly a personal choice. I no longer drink JD No. 7; I'll drink beer instead if those are my only choices. (Well, maybe not Coors light.) However, I do enjoy JD Single Barrel. It's good even when served in a plastic cup, as it was at last year's Prescott (AZ) Rodeo. It may be a little pricey for what it is, but I've bought two or three bottles over the past six years. I'll probably replace my current bottle when I empty it in a year or two.

I've always enjoyed GD, but I can't keep the labels straight -- and I don't have a bottle on the shelf right now to check. One is black and the other is sort of an off-white. I've enjoyed the more expensive of the two in the past, but not enough to make sure I keep a bottle on hand. Also I bought a bottle of the GD Barrel Select several months ago. Somehow I've never gotten around to opening it. That happens when one has twenty or more bottles open at any given time and drinks only once or twice a week.

Next time I'm in the mood for a belt, I'll open the GD BS and try to write down what I think of it.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[cowdery]

Who came first?

George Dickel first got into the whiskey business as a wholesaler in 1853. Jack Daniel started distilling in 1866, according to the company, but it may have been later. Jack, however, was a distiller and George was not. He began to distribute the whiskey produced at Cascade Hollow in 1888. That is the distillery known as George Dickel today.