Review: George Dickel Rye
Review: George Dickel Rye
Everyone is getting in on the rye game, and the latest to join the party is George Dickel, which has crafted this whiskey from 95% rye and 5% malted barley, then aged it for five-plus years. Sourced from Indiana (where plenty of rye is being produced for just about everyone), it’s still made to Tennessee whiskey specifications: Chilled, filtered through charcoal, then bottled at 90 proof.
As with Dickel’s corn-based whiskeys, Dickel Rye is very silky smooth, that “charcoal mellowing” having done its duty admirably. But there’s ample rye character here — chewy raisin bread with ample cinnamon notes. Vanilla a-plenty. Cocoa powder finish. Overall, the body is light and easygoing, a pleasant and sweet rye that would work well in any cocktail.
Compare to Bulleit Rye.
Shipping in November 2012. 90 proof.
A- / $25 [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
George Dickel Rye Whiskey
$25
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So is there a difference between the various LDI 95% rye products? You ought to do a side by side of this, Bulleit, Templeton, and Redemption. Are they all the same whiskey? Can you differentiate between them in a blind tasting?
jcm – good question. Alas, I’m out of Templeton but will blind taste Bulleit and DIckel tonight and see what’s what. I expect they will be different due to the charcoal filtering on the Dickel, but who knows.
jcm – Tried them blind as promised. Though they are very similar, there’s a distinct difference, and I was able to easily determine which was which. The Dickel is more citrus-forward and lighter in body (as my review notes), the Bulleit spicier. Both are 90 proof, but the Bulleit has more of that racy rye character that I personally look for in a rye whiskey. I think the respective ratings are still spot on. Wish I had some Templeton on hand, now, to see how that stacks up.
Interesting. Thanks for the follow up. I prefer the spicy, so I guess I’ll choose the Bulleit. Thanks again.
Mr. Null, I’m a big fan of Bulleit Rye, and I love Templeton Rye (…it’s just a little too pricey though). I’m curious about another rye whiskey that seems to be quite an impressive, value-priced sipper. Have you sampled or do you have an opinion of Rittenhouse Rye (50 ABV). I’d like to hear your opinion on this one, as your reviews tend to be spot-on. If it is as good as ‘they’ say, it may very well be a good one to bump to the top of your “Boozes-to Review” list.
Buzzy – I’ve had Rittenhouse on many occasions, but we don’t have a formal review up on the site. It is in a different category than these whiskeys, a bolder, more powerful rye more in the category of WhistlePig or Masterson’s — just very cheap. Would need to do some side by side on these, though.
Buzzy – Oddly enough I encountered some Rittenhouse today. Somewhat similar. Less cinnamon, more chocolate notes. Similar body, even though it’s higher in proof. Definitely a worthwhile rye, but I wouldn’t call it clearly ahead of Bulleit in this price category.
Just got home from my local liquor store. I was pleasantly surprised when I entered the store & saw that they were offering samples of both Bulleit & GD, both bourbons & ryes. I am well familiar with their bourbons but recently took an interest in ryes. I found the GD rye much more flavorful than the Bulleit & personaly thought the GD was a bit spicier. Bulleit rye is 95 proof as opposed to GD rye which is 90 but both seemed equally smooth. I left the store with a bottle of the GD rye. At the store where I shop the GD rye is about $3-$4 cheaper than the Bulleit for a 750ml bottle.