Tennessee’s George Dickel has always had an odd little relationship with the term “bourbon.” Their flagship products have been steadfastly labeled over the decades as “Tennessee Whisky,” but this is more a matter of brand preference than anything. Those whiskeys/whiskies have always qualified under the federal definition of bourbon: They’re more than 50% corn and are aged in newly charred oak. This made Dickel’s move to finally start offering an age-stated bourbon in 2021 an interesting one, as it implied the company had a specific, in-house conception of what is “bourbon” and what is “Tennessee whiskey.” That, or it was just a way to get another SKU on the crowded shelves. But regardless, Dickel is now a company that makes both Tennessee whisky and bourbon, in both everyday and limited release forms. And like so many other brands in the same circles, they’ve been looking to explore that ultra-premium, ultra-lucrative space in recent years as sky-high MSRPs have become increasingly normalized. And dare I say, the new George Dickel 18 Year Bourbon is quite a statement of how much they believe U.S. bourbon geeks are willing to pay for new pieces in their collection. And that number is apparently $510, which has to go down as one of the most random MSRPs I’ve ever seen.
It feels rather remarkable to note that less than a year ago, I was reviewing George Dickel 17 Year Old Reserve, which as the name would imply was a 17-year-old expression from the brand’s classic 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley mash bill. That whiskey weighed in at 46% ABV (92 proof), at a sky-high (or so it seemed then) MSRP of $250. Now, one year later, we have this 18-year-old bourbon expression, from the same mash bill, at 45% ABV (90 proof), with an MSRP of $510. What a year it has truly been, right?
Suffice to say, these are numbers that are difficult to process and accept, looking at George Dickel 18, especially when comparing it to the outstanding value offered by the 8-year-old bourbon, which is still retailing for $33 in Virginia state liquor stores. The company’s press release refers to the new, 18-year-old limited edition as “giving the gift of luxury,” and that certainly feels apropos in terms of how “limited” bourbon releases have continued a stratospheric price ascent recently. How long can such a trajectory be maintained? Will we be suffused in $1,000 limited edition bottles a year from now?
It should go without saying that these kinds of price points leave no room for subjectivity in the quality of the actual product: When a bottle of bourbon costs more than $500, it automatically needs to be among the best things you’ve ever tasted to even begin justifying the cost. And in that capacity, Dickel is at least fortunate to have the blending prowess of General Manager and Distiller Nicole Austin, who has rightly won plaudit after plaudit for her palate and blending abilities. She’s been behind some truly fantastic extra-aged Dickel releases in recent years, particularly in the Cascade Moon series. If anyone could step up to this task, it would be Austin, but after tasting George Dickel 18 Year Bourbon I find myself wondering if this is just a case of choosing a number–“18 year old bourbon”–and then trying to work backward to that result, even when the barrels involved don’t really justify it. As in the case of something like Knob Creek 18 Year –which has an MSRP of $170, by the way–it becomes a question of when the point of diminishing returns will be undeniably crossed.
So with that said, let’s get to tasting this extra-aged Tennessee bourbon.
On the nose, George Dickel 18 is redolent in burnt sugars to me, while also being quite roast forward–I’m getting something like wood ash/campfire, along with slightly tangy wet oak. This is supported by some very dark fruitiness, evoking caramelized or candied plum, along with fig jam and traces of clove and Christmas spice.
On the palate, this is fairly roasty and more dry than I was initially expecting, with layers of charred oak and something reminiscent of the character of roasted unmalted barley in stout beer. I’m getting French roast coffee, with some tangy, slightly tart oak. This is laced with a vanilla essence, although it doesn’t have a lot of the corresponding sweetness you’re usually getting with it, more of a floral vanilla. Simultaneously, I’m getting almond extract and very dark, stewed fruit, along with wisps of smoke. The finish is dominated by oak tannin, drying out the palate and again registering with a somewhat tart, woody note.
At the end of the day, I think the oak profile here has just been elevated a bit too much into the foreground, obscuring some of the lovely sweetness, fruit and caramelized sugars I’m typically getting in limited edition batches out of Dickel. I actually like many elements of the roast-forward character that is presented here, but the tart oakiness and assertive tannin carry themselves with a bit too much bombast for my taste. And with this kind of MSRP, anything short of adulation unfortunately feels like falling short.
Perhaps Nicole Austin and Dickel will simply redouble their efforts and stun everyone with an incredibly executed 19-year-old whiskey next year–I wouldn’t be particularly surprised if that happens. But this 18 Year Bourbon feels like a mixed bag, and at this kind of price point that’s not something it can afford to be.
Distillery: George Dickel/Cascade Hollow
City: Tullahoma, TN
Style: Straight bourbon whiskey
ABV: 45% ABV (90 proof)
Availability: Limited, 750 ml bottles, $510 MSRP
Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.