"I've had all the Dickel Bottled-in-Bond releases at one point or another, and the 13-year mark is where this expression really reaches its peak." - Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer
Other than Jack Daniel's, there's no Tennessee whiskey distillery with a stronger following than Cascade Hollow Distillery and the George Dickel brand. Named after an ardent Tennessee whiskey pioneer, the Dickel brand has gone through several stages and iterations of ownership and production since it was founded in 1870, but it's more or less a Tennessee institution in its current form since the 1960s. The releases run the gamut from exceptional values to single-cask collectibles aged up to 18 years, but the sweet spot has been the Bottled-in-Bond ever since its first release in 2019.
The whiskey is, of course, subject to all the requisite BiB criteria, including a single distilling season, as listed on the bottle. That first rendition, a 13 Year Old from 2005, won Whisky Advocate's Whisky of the Year in 2019, and while subsequent releases have featured 11- and 12-year age statement, this 13-year-old 2008 edition is by far the closest we've come to that WOTY style of the first release. The hallmark sugar maple charcoal filtration certainly does lend a smooth, easy-going personality to it, but that's not say it lacks intrigue, showing both well-defined fruit character and vibrant spice and earth complexity. After all, it is 13-year-old juice in the bottle. That and it's always affordable price have garnered it legions of fans since its debut, and now a limited-time jaw-dropping price of under $30 means you can stock up big for an absolute steal.
I've had all the Dickel Bottled-in-Bond releases at one point or another, and the 13-year mark is where this expression really reaches its best form. The nose leads with cooked banana and soft pastry crust followed by vanilla and crème brulée inflections on a very well integrated barrel foundation. Touches of ripe cantaloupe and pecan pie contrast beautifully with hints of balsam wood and gunpowder, adding nuance. The palate shows a remarkably smooth texture and medium weight, with lovely balance throughout. Cooked banana makes a reprise before giving way to flavors of baked apple, gingerbread, toasty grains, and brambly spices like nutmeg, finally concluding in a medium-long finish of sassafras and a mentholated flourish. Super drinkable on its own but perfect for classic cocktails.
92 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Sep 2026)
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