Another white whiskey ‘eh? Well at least they keep with tradition and give the Dickel 1 a good ole fashioned chill and charcoal filtering. Which, if you compare that to some of the other white whiskey out there, does seem to help quite a bit with the harsh unfinished texture that often comes with them.
If you’re not familiar with white whiskey it’s basically just the raw distillate that normally would be put into barrels and then aged by the distillery. However, when the distilleries bottle it instead of putting it into the barrel they typically cut it down to 80-90 proof from the 120+ proof it comes off of the still at. Not usually the best stuff for drinking straight it’s often pretty decent in cocktails, but where it really shines is palate education.
It’s really fun, and informative to sit down and try the white whiskey next to different expressions (ages) of whiskey that the same distillery puts out so you can taste the difference the wood makes as the whiskey matures over the years and that’s exactly why I buy the stuff (moonshine category)… for science.
Dickel No. 1 White Corn Whiskey Review
ABV: 45.5%
Age: 0
Price: $22*
Distiller: George A Dickel & Co.
Mashbill: 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% barley
EYE
Clear
NOSE
Aggressive corn bullies it’s way to the top, shoving aside lighter notes of blueberry pie, vanilla, raspberry taffy and a sugary sweetness which all meekly come through after the corn.
PALATE
Ever the bull, the corn again charges through and brings in light notes of berries, pie crust, vanilla and a tartness that reminds me of lemons, but isn’t citrusy.
FINISH
A quick finish that flashes out in a flurry of corn, vanilla, pie crust and an ambiguous sweetness.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Very sweet, but it helps balance out the corn heavy flavor profile. Still not completely balanced, but it’s better than if it wasn’t there. Thin body and slick smooth texture with almost zero burn.
OVERALL
For what it is it’s not bad. There are far worse whiskies out there that actually have been aged so at least it has that going for it. I’m annoyed that it costs more than the Dickel 8 which actually is aged for 4-6 years because they just have to pull it off the still, filter and bottle it so really, it should be cheaper. However, as an educational tool it’s priceless. How else are you going to get the opportunity to sit in the comfort of your own home and taste the effects of wood on the whiskey as it ages… unless you buy a barrel and do it yourself that is.
SCORE: 80/100
*Disclosure: This was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
