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George Dickel

George Dickel had a little bit of everything, making it a good standard by which to measure the other visits. Both the tour and tasting were solid, even if they weren’t my absolute favorite. The only downside was how far we had to drive to get there.

This was our first stop on Day 3 so the hollow in which the distillery sits was still a bit cool when we arrived. I walked up to the traditionally-styled visitor center and got the one and only spot on the first tour of the day. A trainee even came out with us so I had two guides all to myself. Though I had been on a number of tours in the past few days, this one managed to have enough interesting features to keep me engaged. My two guides (sorry, I forgot names) were great company too, giving the tour a relaxed feel. A highlight was learning how Dickel does the Lincoln County charcoal filtration process as this was my first time witnessing it. The distillery itself was being cleaned at the time so though we did a thorough walk-through, it wasn't operating.

I also appreciated the small scale of George Dickel. I had tried their 8 and 12 in the past and would have guessed they had come from a larger facility. If you want a laid back, quieter experience, skip Jack Daniels and come here.

The fun continued with a tasting inside of the old distillery office. The setting was relaxing and the set-up was well done. I tried their White, 8, 12, and Barrel Select (a bottle of which is sitting across the table from me right now). Overall, a nice selection and variety.


The gift shop was pretty standard. I passed on the bottle of Dickel 17 Year after reading some reviews online and seeing that it was $50 cheaper elsewhere.


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