George Dickel Barrel Select

George Dickel Barrel Select is a 750mL Tennessee whisky bottled at 43% ABV (86 proof), made at Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. in Tullahoma, Tennessee from Dickel's sour mash of 84% corn, 8% rye and 8% malted barley. Like every Dickel whisky it is chill charcoal mellowed — chilled, then filtered slowly through sugar maple charcoal — and for Barrel Select the whisky is aged at least nine years, with each small batch blended from a small number of hand-selected barrels. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.

• ABV: 43% (86 proof)
• Size: 750mL
• Mash: 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley (sour mash)
• Process: Chill charcoal mellowed through sugar maple charcoal
• Ageing: At least 9 years (current brand copy), single-story rickhouses
• Batch: A small number of hand-selected barrels per batch
• Origin: Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., Tullahoma, Tennessee

The Finest Barrels at Cascade Hollow

George Dickel built his name on a simple conviction: whisky made in winter, chilled before its charcoal mellowing, comes out smoother — and Cascade Hollow still chills its new spirit before the slow drip through sugar maple charcoal that defines Tennessee whisky. Barrel Select is the distillery's reserve tier: a small parcel of barrels, aged at least nine years in the hollow's single-story rickhouses where Tennessee's temperature swings do the seasoning, selected by the distiller as the finest of the run. The house's other expressions are on the George Dickel vendor page, and the broader shelf is in our whisky collection.

Tasting Notes

The distillery describes a perfectly balanced, rich and silky whisky with hints of vanilla, spice and charcoal; independent reviews add light oak, aged vanilla and a subtle fruit note under the charcoal softness.

How to Enjoy

Neat, in a rocks glass with a single cube if you like it colder — the charcoal-mellowed softness is the point of the bottle. It also makes a plush Tennessee-style Manhattan. More American whiskey is in our spirits collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes George Dickel a Tennessee whisky and not a bourbon?
It is made from a bourbon-style sour mash, but Tennessee whisky is charcoal mellowed before ageing — Dickel chills its spirit and filters it through sugar maple charcoal, then ages it in new charred oak at Cascade Hollow in Tullahoma.

How old is George Dickel Barrel Select?
At least nine years, per the brand's current copy, with each batch blended from a small number of hand-selected barrels. (Older Dickel descriptions quoted 10–12 years; the current figure is the one used here.) It is bottled at 86 proof.

What is chill charcoal mellowing?
Dickel's signature step: the whisky is chilled first — George Dickel believed winter-made whisky was smoother — then mellowed slowly through vats of sugar maple charcoal, softening the spirit before it meets the barrel.

Nine years or more in the hollow, a few barrels at a time — order George Dickel Barrel Select online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.