Les Jones

George Dickel Cascade Hollow is good stuff

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 | East Tennessee, Food & Drink | Permalink | 6 Comments |

My new fave cheap sour mash whiskey is George Dickel Cascade Hollow, AKA red label.

Previously Dickel’s (slightly) discount version was the No. 8 black label. I always spent the modest premium to get the much better No. 12 tan label.

The Cascade Hollow red label is significantly cheaper than both and pleasant to drink. My nearest store has it for $10 a fifth, which is about half the price of Jim Beam or Jack. It’s worth a try if you like your whiskey Southern. It isn’t the best sour mash whiskey I’ve ever had, but it’s the best in its price range by a wide margin.

Dickel is a Tennessee whiskey, which is a sour mash whiskey, like bourbon. Bourbon has its own legal definition and is not necessarily made in the Bourbon region of Kentucky, though it must be made in the United States.

Tennessee whiskey can likewise be made outside of Tennessee. Dickel was originally made in Tennessee, then was made in Kentucky during Tennessee’s state Prohibition of 1910, but as of 1958 is now made once again in Cascade Hollow in Tullahoma, Tennessee.

By definition what makes it Tennessee whiskey is charcoal filtering prior to aging. For the aging process it’s stored in new oak barrels that are charred on the inside. After one use they’re discarded. Here in Tennessee you can find Jack Daniels whiskey barrels at garden centers such as Lowe’s cut in half for use as planters. We have one in our garden we’ve fitted with a pre-formed hard plastic pond liner and a pump/filter for use as a decorative pond with goldfish and aquatic plants.

Jack Daniels is the best known Tennessee whiskey, but I’ve never cared for it. Give me George Dickel or bourbon instead.

UPDATE: Here’s a little background on how Cascade Hollow came to be. It was originally aged three years, but is now aged at least four years.

Previously

• Elijah Craig Bourbon (Elijah who? Oh, nobody. He’s just the Baptist preacher who invented bourbon!)
• George Dickel No. 8 Shortage
• Buy That Man a Drink

Tags: bourbon

Elijah Craig Bourbon

Wednesday, March 21st, 2007 | Food & Drink | Permalink | 3 Comments |

This is one of my new favorite bourbons. It’s right in the narrow price range between Wild Turkey 101 and Maker’s Mark and I like it better than both.

Based on the Wikipedia entry, it doesn’t look like Elijah Craig bourbon is really related to the Baptist preacher who invented bourbon, but it’s nice of them to honor the good Reverend with such a fine whiskey.

Tags: bourbon