Rating: 11/23 This is supposed to be the same stuff as Dickel Old No. 12, just in a new bottle. I never tried the old stuff, so I can't really comment on that, but I'm basing my expectations on what I've heard about Old No. 12. N: Light, sour mash, marshmallows, a touch of grain, vanilla, woody tannins. Aside from being a bit light, it's a really nice traditional bourbon profile. P: Quite light, with sugar water meeting orange flower water, vanilla, moderated oak. Definite sourness in here as well. Maybe hints of sour cherry and tangerine coming out of that. I don't love the sour mash (though there is some nuance coming out of it, it's a tad strong) or lightness, but I like the overall profile. There's a nice restraint going on here. F: Oh wow, a big burst of vanilla. Lingering hints of sour mash, but just so much vanilla. I really like this as a finish. It drives home the elegance that this dram is striving for. - Conclusion - This is easy enough to sip, though it's nothing amazing. I would take Wild Turkey 101 (14/23) over it in general. The problem this has isn't that it's unapproachable but that it's not bold enough for most mixing. Since it's not that great as a sipper either, it leaves me wondering what to do with it. Let's be real though - I'm obviously going to try a bunch of rapid aging with wood chips. This certainly isn't as low as a 9, but a 12 seems like a bit of a stretch. I'm thinking an 11. OK, after some side-by-siding with low-end bourbons, the lack of bitterness here is really standing out. I can appreciate that clean sweetness of Tennessee whiskey. I'm still not convinced it's better than an 11 though.
About this bottle
Formerly known as George Dickel No. 12, Signature Recipe is made from a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% barley. Of course, as this is a Tennessee whisky, it's charcoal mellowed. The distillate is placed in a vat along with the charcoal and allowed to sit for a few days before it is drained. Aged for an unspecified amount of time in new, charred American oak (heads char #2, staves char #4) before bottling at 90 proof. (SRP $24.99)
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 6 parsed reviews.
When thinking about Kentucky whiskeys, George Dickel Kentucky Whisky is a stalwart mainstay that really needs no introduction. The Signature Recipe is an admirable sipper that works well either neat or on the rocks. The mouth feel has a comfortable warmth with a taste of understated vanilla and a rich oak finish. The Signature Recipe anchors a Manhattan remarkable well, which demonstrates its versatility a superior cocktail ingredient. Rated Best Tennessee Whisky at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, George Dickel Signature Recipe has the pedigree of a highly respected world class spirit. Enjoy!
Spicy, but super thin. As spicy as a rye might be without that herbal kick. Without the body its mostly burn, I think this might work in cocktails but that's probably it.
Smell is almost nothing, very faint. Sweet in the mouth, and mild going down. Neat as it should be! Good sipper, and ill buy again.
Has that Dickel mineraly taste, fred flinstone vitamins, and a bit of spice. Probably a good mixer.
The most average Bourbon imaginable. You can get much more exceptional stuff around this pricepoint.
Tastes like this
Same style and price bracket, best rated first.
