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George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey is one of the most polarizing whiskey brands in the United states. The second largest distillery in Tennessee doesn’t enjoy the same kind of fanfare as its neighbor, Jack Daniels, but it does have a much larger parent company backing it. Diageo (Dickel’s owner) has deep roots and deep pockets, but a brand can only achieve so much without the right type of person at the helm. So when they brought on fresh-faced distiller, Nicole Austin back in early 2018, people took notice. She has single-handedly ended the war between enthusiasts who say Tennessee Whiskey is a bourbon and those who say it’s not.
Tennessee Whiskey vs Bourbon
You may have already picked a side in the great debate on if Tennessee Whiskey is a bourbon or not. If you want to know The Bourbon Culture’s stance; we believe that Tennessee Whiskey is a bourbon. However, you’ll find us still using the term Tennessee Whiskey in our reviews simply because Google’s SEO gives us more love when we do, haha.

All joking aside, our reason is simple: Tennessee Whiskey regulations are the same as bourbon regulations with the only addition being a charcoal mellowing step (and it has to be made and aged in Tennessee, duh). The people who say this extra step disqualifies it as a bourbon are missing the point. Charcoal mellowing does not add anything to the distillate. If anything, it’s actually subtracting something. Namely, extra fatty acids which get trapped in the charcoal.
But George Dickel and Jack Daniels stick with the Tennessee Whisk(e)y label as a way to stand out in a crowded market. They already know that Kentucky is the king of bourbon and if they also labeled their product as a bourbon, it would have a harder time competing. As such, part of me believes that the Tennessee Whiskey industry actively encourages discourse about the whole argument every couple years in order to drive up sales.
Nicole Austin cuts through the BS
Nicole Austin gave a great interview with Kristopher Hart which I dug into in this article. One of the things she spoke about was her decision to create a new sub-brand of George Dickel and label it as a bourbon. This was her attempt at settling the debate while also trying to steal some sales away from other bourbon brands.
Originally, I had thought that George Dickel Bourbon was made from their standard distillate that had avoided being filtered through a stack of sugar maple charcoal. That turned out to not be the case. In the interview I’m referencing, Nicole hinted that she has filled up barrels that skip the Lincoln County Process, but that’s not what is in this bottle. But she did give a wink and a nod that we’ll see the result of that experiment soon.

What we did find out is that George Dickel Bourbon isn’t made any differently than their standard Tennessee Whiskey – just that the barrels are blended differently and pulled from different maturation spots in their warehouses. My unqualified guess is that these barrels are picked from the highest ricks of their single-story warehouses. Typically, this results in a more aggressive environment when it comes to heat cycles.
Now that we know some of the backstory about how this label came to be, let’s dive in to see how it tastes. I sampled this bottle neat in a glencairn.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Aromas of vanilla and melted Rolos candy accompany the softer spice of cinnamon powder and maple syrup. Fruit scents lean on the more traditional side with orange zest and cherries, but a tart kiwi note also seems to stand out. There is a bit of charred oak that reveals its age. Finally, a faint mineral note that smells like gravel dust on a long country road. If you’ve never read my other Dickel reviews, this is actually quite common.
Palate: The mouthfeel is a little thinner than I was expecting. I see little difference with it and other Dickel products around this age and proof. Despite that, it mostly reminds me of a bourbon in most senses of the word. I find citrus fruit flavors along with peppermint candy cane along with cinnamon and nutmeg spice. The mash bill seems like it used extra rye – even though this shouldn’t be the case based on what Nicole Austin has said about this product.
Finally, I get dry oak and cocoa powder notes. I’m not sure if a “drier” bourbon is one of the traits that Nicole and her team were going for when selecting these barrels, but it’s what I noticed throughout my time with this bottle.
Finish: A weak heat despite its peppercorn and cinnamon flavors that remain on the tongue after the sip is complete. I also encounter the drying oak. Despite those two things, traditional notes of caramel, vanilla and even milk chocolate remain.
Score: 6.3/10
If I had to nail down what makes Dickel Bourbon different from, say, Dickel 8 or Dickel 12, I’d say that the oak and rye notes are more pronounced. It also has a bit more dryness to the whole mouthfeel. And for those who hate the taste of Flintstones vitamins, it’s surprisingly mild throughout.

Otherwise, the Dickel roots run deep throughout the dram. I found plenty of fruit notes and the signature “milk chocolate” note that I often find in distillate made on their still. All of these things – plus a price point under $30 – make it a buy for savvy bourbon drinkers.
Final Thoughts
Dickel Bourbon isn’t trying to pretend its something its not. It has the value proposition of similar competitors in Kentucky (like Beam’s new “Black 7-Year bourbon or Evan Williams Single Barrel) while not tasting totally different from them. Plus, the presentation of this bottle looks far classier than some of the dated square-bottomed Heaven Hill offerings. The gold label even gets bonus points for its color scheme similarities when the Cascade brand was produced in Kentucky from 1910 to the 1970s. I don’t know if that’s really the reason, but I think the comparison is apt.

While Dickel 8-Year Bourbon can only do so much, it still does it well. I see no reason why it shouldn’t occupy a spot on your bar as a mixer or even as an occasional sipper.
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Capt.John
Thursday 30th of January 2025
About 40 years ago, we lived in Tullahoma. Did the Dickel and Daniels tour.( Jack sure won that one.)
Was on an airplane around that time and was reading the free airline magazine. There was an ad that caught my eye. A VERY ruff looking country singer was holding a bottle of Dickel - I thought at first it was an ad for the Temperance Society.
I am half way through a bottle of 8 year Dickel and enjoy it. Way better than the regular release of forty years ago.
David Moran
Friday 26th of July 2024
Having drunk Dickel (I prefer the white label) for some 75 years, I taste the corn and rye but not the candy store or fruit stand. My preference is wheated bourbon. And I agree, Tennessee whiskey is bourbon with a flair.
Mike & Mike
Friday 26th of July 2024
75 Years?! Cheers to you for reading my article and posting a comment! Please leave more