As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, there’s nothing quite like a good, hearty bourbon for warming your soul and warming your belly. But what if you don’t live in Kentucky? What if you’re a Midwesterner and you’re looking to try out a local spirit? If you’re in Milwaukee, that means you’re most likely looking for a shot of George Dickel Barrel Whisky. But what is George Dickel Barrel Whisky? And why should you try it this winter? Keep reading to find out.
What Is George Dickel Barrel Whisky?
George Dickel is a Tennessee-based distillery that was founded in 1875. Today, the distillery is best known for its line of barrel-aged whiskeys. In fact, George Dickel is one of the only distilleries that produces barrel-aged whiskies.
And the whiskeys that come out of the Tennessee distillery are no joke. There are two words on the George Dickel label that you should know: “Big taste for a little price.” And those words couldn’t be more accurate. George Dickel Barrel Whisky is as affordable as it gets for barrel-aged whiskeys. There’s no other way to say it: It tastes like a million bucks.
The History of George Dickel Barrel Whisky
To understand what makes George Dickel Barrel Whisky so special, it’s important to know a little bit about the company itself. George Dickel has a long history of producing quality liquor, but it’s also important to keep in mind that the distillery is based in Tennessee. So when you’re talking about barrel-aged whiskies, it only makes sense that you start there.
In fact, George Dickel has been aging whiskey in oak barrels since the company’s founding. And it’s not just aging whiskey in barrels, either. George Dickel also produces a line of rye, wheat and corn whiskeys. However, the majority of George Dickel’s whiskies are barrel-aged.
When it comes to barrel-aged whiskeys, George Dickel is the king of them all. The company has been aging whiskey in barrels since 1875. And when the distillery was first founded, the barrels used were charred white oak barrels from Tennessee. While the white oak barrels are still prominently featured on the label, the distillery now uses bourbon barrels.
When you’re talking about bourbon barrels, you’re talking about the barrels used to age bourbon. Bourbon barrels are charred until the charred part of the barrel is black. And then they’re used to age whiskey. And one of the most important factors of barrel aging whiskies is the temperature of the barrel. So to be clear, most barrel-aged whiskeys are stored in colder temperatures.
As you may have guessed, George Dickel is one of the few distilleries that uses bourbon barrels. So, what makes the Tennessee distillery so special? We’ll get to the bottom of it.
Best George Dickel Barrel Whisky to Drink
If you’re looking for a straight-up Tennessee whiskey, then George Dickel is the one for you. However, if you’re looking for a more complex whiskey, then you should try out George Dickel Barrel Select. That particular line of whiskeys is made using select barrels. We’ll explain what that means in a bit. Meanwhile, if you’re in the mood for a drink that’s on the sweeter side, then George Dickel Single Barrel is the one for you.
As you probably guessed by now, the majority of George Dickel’s whiskey is aged in bourbon barrels. And when it comes to bourbon, George Dickel is one of the only distilleries that uses select barrels. Select barrels are barrels that are selected based on a number of factors. The main factors include the quality of the wood, the quality of the distillate, the quality of the distillation equipment used and the style of whiskey being aged.
According to George Dickel, their select barrels “are chosen based on our most favorable criteria.” In other words, the barrels used to make their very limited run of barrel-aged whiskies are some of their best barrels. And since these barrels make up less than one tenth of one percent of the barrels used by distilleries, they’re also very expensive. To put that into perspective, the average cost of making a single barrel of whiskey is around $2,800.
The Bottom Line
George Dickel Barrel Whisky is an excellent choice for winter. In fact, we’d go as far as to say that it’s the best bourbon-barrel-aged whiskey on the market. While George Dickel is available year-round, it’s only made in small batches. So, to keep up with demand, the distillery only produces a few barrels of George Dickel Barrel Select every year.
While you can find George Dickel Barrel Select throughout the year, the best place to buy it is during the holiday season. In fact, the best place to buy it is in the United States. Luckily, there are a number of online stores that offer shipping to customers all over the world. If you’re interested in trying some of George Dickel Barrel Whisky this winter, you should definitely consider buying a bottle.