Cascade Moon No. 2 Whisky Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

Cascade Moon No. 2 Whisky
(Credit: Richard Thomas)

Everything is new and different down there in Tullahoma, Tennessee. It’s a reasonable thing to say that for the first time since whiskey baron Lewis Rosenstiel recreated the George Dickel brand in the mid-1950s (a move undertaken in spite, because he was shut out of acquiring Jack Daniel’s), things are hopping down there in Cascade Hollow.

An example of this is the Cascade Moon series, started in late 2020. There were two releases, both timed to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the original distillery in Cascade Hollow. Cascade Moon No. 2. Although not expressly declared as a Tennessee Whiskey, this is old school George Dickel stock. Given that it’s stated in press materials as being a minimum of 16 years old, it is hard to imagine the George Dickel of 2004 making anything that wasn’t given the Lincoln County Process. This installment is stronger than No. 1, coming in at 90 proof.

Dickel has released some ultra-aged and middle aged expressions in the past, and I found them rather disappointing. In fact, this was so much the case that I pointed to them as examples of how the Lincoln County Process (LCP) worked out in the long arc of time. My theory is that the LCP is the original shortcut to the whiskey aging process, in that it subtracts some of the volatile chemistry that makes a youthful whiskey harsh. That chemistry, however, is necessary to produce a worthwhile whiskey in middle and later age. This time, I think an abler hand has been at play in the form of Nicole Austin. She has been showing her stuff in the Dickel Bottled in Bond series and continues to do so with Cascade Moon.

The Whiskey
Cascade Moon No. 2 has a bright amber coloring, an adornment to a glass. It’s actually a pity that they chose to put it in an earthenware-styled bottle. The nose has a deep scent of pan-melted brown sugar and cookie spices, with a hint of red berries, mint and sasparilla. The flavor follows in that same vein, offering no surprises and plenty of yummy character. The finish draws up a wave of minty and sasparilla spices, which after swamping the palate fall slowly away.

The Price
A bottle of Cascade Moon No. 2 officially goes for $250.