Cascade Hollow 13 Year Old Rye Whiskey Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

Cascade Moon Edition No. 3
(Credit: Diageo)

So much has been done since Nicole Austin took up stewardship at Cascade Hollow (the Tullahoma, Tennessee distillery where George Dickel is made), that it sometimes needs saying she has been there for not even four full years yet. Although none of the spirits going into these new creations was made by her, she has taken what was on hand in the distilleries rickhouses and put it excellent work. One such creation has been the Cascade Hollow line, intended as super-premium offerings, of which this rye whiskey is the third installment.

This rye arrived at what was then simply known as George Dickel back in 2012, and if you know anything about George Dickel, that means it is the MGP, 95% rye stock that is used to make George Dickel Rye. Ironically, I was at the distillery not so long after this very rye arrived on the property, and that was where they told me the MGP-made new make was given the same style of Lincoln County Process treatment used on all Dickel whiskeys at the time; you will see some folks in forums croak about how the charcoal-filtration is done after the barrels are dumped, but I have been putting that question periodically to different people from the company for a decade, and the answer is always the same: it gets done before aging.

As for why Dickel didn’t make their own rye until relatively recently (some in-house rye was used to make the new Dickel x Leopold Bros. Collaboration Rye), rye is an exceptionally glutenous grain, which makes it very sticky. Large proportions of rye tend to stick together in clumps and then gum up the works, and some distilleries are not set up to handle it.

In any event, what we have in Cascade Moon Edition No. 3 is a middle-aged version of the Dickel Rye. Given that middle aged versions of rye whiskey have been as rare as ultra-aged versions of bourbon for several years now, that alone makes it well worth attention.

The Whiskey
A pour of this middle aged Dickel Rye takes on a deep red amber look in the glass, which is half-unexpected, given how often rye whiskeys are lighter and more coppery in appearance. The scent came to me as anise, ripe cherries, old leather, cedar shavings and caramel.

The flavor profile followed very nearly in that same vein, or at least hit most of the same notes. The cherries dropped away, and the leathery aspect turned to nutmeg, so the balance shifted a step towards spiciness. The finish took another step in that direction, opening as cedar and clove and drifting towards sandalwood as it faded. This whiskey shows character that is restrained, sophisticated and delicious. I earnestly wish I had more of it, but enjoyed the afternoon I spent with my double.

The Price
A bottle of this is officially listed at $299. Given that it was only released a few months ago, you should be able to find it in some retailers, and at very close to or at the MSRP at that.