Tennessee Whiskey Archives – Whiskey for the Ages

George Dickel Barrel Select Review

Posted on 27-April-202029-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s George Dickel Barrel Select Review:

25-April-2020

GEORGE DICKEL BARREL SELECT WHISKEY REVIEW:

I enjoyed this Tennessee whiskey from the first waft. I have a confession: Although I’ve not had many Tennessee whiskeys, I’ve not been impressed with other’s I’ve tried. George Dickel Barrel Select drinks more like the bourbon I enjoy and even at its low proof.

GEORGE DICKEL BARREL SELECT VITAL STATS:

Category: Tennessee Whisky
Region: Tullahoma Tennessee, USA
Distillery: Cascade Hollow Distilling Company
Mash Bill: 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel entry proof: unpublished
Age: nas (unpublished)
Chilled and sugar maple charcoal filtered before and after barreling (Double mellowed)
ABV: 43% (86 Proof)
No other distinguishing notes or barrel identifiers on the bottle.
Price: $43.95

Click here for more information: https://georgedickel.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this whisky here!

NOSE:

At first nosing, George Dickel Barrel Select presents quite dry with no trace of alcohol. With heavy draws, one can coax out sherry tannins, fruit tree blossoms, and a pleasant roasted corn sweetness. Red berry jam, plums and an ever so subtle hint of banana compliment faint spices of powdered ginger, white pepper and there is a bready yeastiness in there as well. The whiskey spices mix with light vanilla custard, caramelized sugar and buttery caramel and play well with maple sugar and chocolate walnut toffee. As the sweet aromas continue, a light and gentle undefined woodiness fades in and out of this well blended spirit.

PALATE:

The first sip is warm and inviting and has only a touch of alcohol. The pour’s sweetness comes in as current or plum jam with just enough white pepper to let me know I’m enjoying a fine whiskey. At only 86 proof, I find it takes a fairly aggressive mouth rinse and swish to advance the tannins detected on the nose, but as I do, the light fruit tree blossoms and yeastiness peak in as well. In my mouth, the sweetness continues, now a little more complex … an aftertaste of vanilla bean seeds in ice cream, and a touch of bittersweet chocolate mix with the caramelized sugar and bitter walnuts in homemade toffee. More sipping brings the smokey sweetness of toasted wood, then barrel spice and a earthy damp leather. This is an artfully crafted whiskey.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
George Dickel Barrel Select is a solid whiskey. I love the mellow and oily mouthfeel and the sweet aftertaste as it lingers on the tongue. In the Glencairn, a clinging droplet crown gives way to well defined, evenly spaced clinging legs, gently returning to the tawny colored bowl.

FINISH:

For me, this Tennessee whiskey finishes medium long with a touch of warming dryness. Sherry tannins and a bit of cinnamon heat fade into yeasty rye bread which nearly hide faint its bittersweet chocolate as subtle barrel char drifts in and out. As the dram is finished, new sawn oak plywood sawdust fills the empty Glencairn. This is a fine whiskey.

MY RATING: 81/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? NO
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

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WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey Review

Posted on 06-April-202009-May-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey Review

Original review written April 3. 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey Review: For my second Tennessee Whiskey, I found Gentleman Jack to be ridiculously simple in its bready flavor profile, with absolutely no burn to speak of… but somehow, I like it? 79/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Lynchburg, Tennessee, USA
– Distillery: Jack Daniel’s Distillery
– Classification: Tennessee Whiskey
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Corn=88%; Rye=8%; Malted Barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: undisclosed
– Double Mellowed*
– ABV: 40% (80 proof)
– Price: $26.95 USD in Idaho

*Gentleman Jack is dripped slowly drop-by-drop – through ten feet of firmly packed charcoal (made from hard sugar maple) twice before going into new charred oak barrels for maturing. This is known as the Lincoln County Process. The second filtering purifies and decreases oakiness, further mellowing and sweetening the whiskey.

Visit jackdaniels.com/en-us for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian Dawson.

Check out his review for this whiskey here!

SETTING:

For Gentleman Jack, it only seems appropriate to enjoy this with a sizable group of people around a regal and polished billiards table. The felt is soft like this whiskey and the proof is low enough to enjoy a game or two.

Photo by Avi Richards on Unsplash

NOSE:

Soft sweetness with light caramel/simple syrup, vanilla and very subtle peanuts come through pleasantly. Not going to lie, I definitely assumed that this nose would be too sugary, but it’s actually very gentle (no pun intended). I’m intrigued.

I can pull a little bit of prunes and some hazy barrel char and sweet corn. The alcohol presence is so subdued, it’s almost nonexistent, though this makes sense with a whiskey at this proof.

There is age here certainly, but overall, the nose is still very clean. I suppose it could be more, but for a price tag of under $30, I’m not mad.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Buttery and silken beyond belief.
– Balance: Overwhelmingly simple – not a lot going on here at all.
– Visual: Russet muscat in color, there are a fair number of clinging droplets and legs. They look nice.

– Taste: Buttery pecans and bitter walnuts bloom on the first sip, with ground versions of each acting as a foundation. Other than that flour/meal component, I’m not entirely sure what I’ve just tasted. It’s as though there is a wood element (wouldn’t go so far as oak necessarily), but it’s unsure of where it fits.

Still no spice, and the sugary flavors from the nose seem to have completely disappeared. The most sweetness in the glass comes from a plain white bread-esque essence, which isn’t bad despite its plainness. There COULD be some overripe apples at the tail end of the sip, but it dissipates so quickly, it’s hard to tell.

A Kentucky chew will give less burn than a swish of an alcohol based mouthwash, and it doesn’t seem to wake up any new flavors either.

This is overwhelmingly simple and perhaps bland, but somehow, I like it? Maybe for its uniqueness from any whiskey I’ve ever had or maybe because I feel perpetually confused/interested at every sip – I don’t know. It keeps me hunting for other flavors because no way is it only pecans and walnuts. Still, those continue to practically be all I can get.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Short with only the slightest indication I’ve sipped whiskey.
– Between Sips: If I squint, MAYBE some McIntosh apples (red baking apples that are super soft) and a drop of honey. Likely the most “complex” aspect of this pour… if I can even use that word.

– No More: The bread hinted at in the palate does seem to grow as I progress further into the glass; however, I would amend my white bread claim to now being more similar to a pretzel bread or roll you can get in the bakery part of the grocery store. I can report also that it is still growing on me.

The empty Glencairn continues to be a sweet breadiness. This is overall a far cry from a favorite, though it was still enjoyable, and I’d be comfortable reaching into the bunker for it again.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Advertised as being more premium than standard Jack Daniel’s, and for a market that is limited in its offerings of Tennessee Whiskeys, I think Gentleman Jack is a safe bet for those who may be starting their whiskey adventure. It is simple, but it’s also low proof, and can still be enjoyable with company, which to me is an absolute must. So yes, this is worth the price.

RATING: 79/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

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Whiskey Reviews

Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack

Posted on 05-April-202005-May-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack Review:

03April2020

JACK DANIEL’S GENTLEMAN JACK TENNESSEE WHISKY REVIEW:

This review was prompted by a request from one of our followers and is long overdue. Jack Daniels is arguably the world’s most well known and widely consumed whiskeys. Gentleman Jack is their next tier offering. I found this whiskey to be simple, with not much complexity to entertain the senses. Its nose has some interesting elements, and it is easy to drink, but it finishes quite short with little to remember.

JACK DANIEL’S GENTLEMAN JACK TENNESSEE WHISKY VITAL STATS:

– Category: Tennessee Whiskey
– Region: Lynchburg, TN, USA
– Distillery: Jack Daniel Distillery
– Company: Brown-Forman
– Mash Bill: 88% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley
– Barrel Char: #3
– Double Mellowed*
– Barrel entry proof: unpublished
– Age: nas
– ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
– Price: $26.95 USD in Idaho (sale price)

*Jack Daniels products are filtered through 10 feet of compacted sugar maple charcoal as it comes out of the still, before the liquid is put into barrels. Known as the Lincoln County process, the charcoal filtering has a mellowing effect on the alcohol. After aging, juice destined to become Gentleman Jack is given a second charcoal filtration before bottling. Additional filtering purifies and decreases oakiness, further mellowing and sweetening the whiskey.

Learn more at https://www.jackdaniels.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

When first brought to the nose, I get aromas of faint fingernail polish and a sweet potpourri of light red berry nectar, possibly maraschino cherries and hints of banana. Spices of powdered ginger and white pepper are also faint and gave a certain yeastiness. I sense an overwhelming sweetness of light vanilla custard, circus peanuts and sweet hard candy. Yet this is is a fresh and simple whiskey.

PALATE:

The first sip gives my mouth and throat a surprising but highly subdued burn as the juice gives way to a warm perfume of light fruit potpourri and an herbal aftertaste. I had to check the ABV! The maraschino cherry and banana fruits sensed on the nose now come through on the palate and compliment spices of cinnamon and cloves. The sweetness sensed on the nose is also lessened yet the vanilla custard mixes with Kraft caramels and simple syrup. There are also hints of bitter walnut, light oak, and the smokey sweetness of toasted wood.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Gentleman Jack is a simple balance of aromas and flavors with not much going on. The nose is sweeter than the palate and the juice is gentle, mellow and smooth. In the Glencairn, a curtain of thin liquid falls into the lightly colored russet pool, leaving a long lasting crown of clinging droplets.

FINISH:

This Tennessee whiskey finishes short and offers a little light fruit warmth. It is quite simple and leaves an herbal and clovey but dry aftertaste. Any woodiness has been mellowed away and is quite light and I find it hard to define as either oaky or mapley.

MY RATING: 80/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? No
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

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WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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