The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B+
George Dickel 17 Year Old Reserve
(Credit: Richard Thomas)
Down in Cascade Hollow, Tennessee, George Dickel has emerged from a period that could be described as uncertain, to say the least. Master Distiller John Lunn left in 2015, and although the reasons for his departure are still unknown insofar as the realm of public fact are concerned, it created quite a stir in whiskey circles at the time. Further stirring that pot was that his deputy, Alyssa Henley, was never formally promoted as his successor; and Henley would leave Dickel the next year, following Lunn to a project that is now owned by Sazerac and located in Murfreesboro, but has yet to put a product on store shelves.
Although Dickel was never in danger of losing its place in American whiskeydom, it did seem like both the brand and distillery were left lying in the industry’s equivalent to Hollywood’s “Development Hell.” It was almost two years before Diageo named a successor to Lunn, but when they did, they hit the ball out of the park in appointing Nicole Austin to the post. At the same time, the mammoth drinks conglomerate also rebranded the distillery itself after its locale, becoming Cascade Hollow Distillery. Austin got busy applying her talents to Dickel’s stock, creating some outstanding expressions: George Dickel Bottled in Bond was my pick for Best New Whiskey of 2021.
During the period when Henley was steward, but not master, Dickel released a 17 Year old. Now Austin has taken a turn at the label, releasing a 92 proof version in late 2022. This was an interesting crossing of streams for me, because while I am a fan of Austin, I was not a fan of the 2016 version of Dickel 17. I didn’t pen our review, but I did try it and was unimpressed. So much so that the previous Dickel 17 began a still ongoing hypothesis that the Lincoln County Process removes some of the trace, volatile chemistry so crucial to making a good whiskey as it becomes extra-aged, making any Tennessee Whiskey beyond middle age a poor return on investment. So, I approached this bottle with great interest, because I wanted to see if the 2016 version of Dickel 17 was underwhelming because of the stock behind it or the blending. In other words, could Austin do better?
The Whiskey
The answer is yes, but… Dickel 17 Year Old Reserve is a fine whiskey, but a quarter step behind something of a similar class, like Elijah Craig 18 Year Old.
The pour is a deep red amber. I found the nose fruity with plums, ripe cherries and rum-soaked raisins, with a current of cinnamon and clove running through it. A light note of nuts rose as the nosing went on, with an even lighter trace of oak and tea tannin throughout. The scent is really the best part of the whiskey, so enjoy it.
What comes next starts with the mouthfeel, which is quite light. The flavor runs with that berry and grape sweetness from the nose, plus hints of vanilla and maple. The tannic, woody current grows on the palate, becoming ever so slightly astringent and greatly layering up the character of the whiskey. It’s not as wonderful as the nose, but still pretty damn good.
Where George Dickel 17 falls short of expectations this time is the finish, which I found negligible. There is enough there to call it woody, and with so little substance it falls off swiftly, but gently.
I thought the first iteration of Dickel 17 to be rather bland, and the only thing that wasn’t bland about it was that it was a tad over-oaked. This version doesn’t repeat that pattern; it certainly isn’t bland and is very far indeed from being over-oaked. That said, I expect a little something more from a bottle that is in its late teens and costs what this one does.
The Price
Officially, George Dickel 17 Year Old Reserve is $250. The mark-up from online retailers is running $300 to $400 at time of print.
