🥃 George Dickel

George Dickel is a brand of Tennessee whisky from the Cascade Hollow distillery in Tullahoma, Tennessee. The brand takes its name from George Dickel, a businessman from Nashville. The modern whisky was first bottled in 1964; today the brand belongs to Diageo, and the label spells the word ‘whisky’ without the letter ‘e’.

History. George Dickel was born in 1818, set up a retail business in Nashville in the 1850s, and in 1884 acquired a controlling stake in Cascade Hollow; he died in 1894. According to Difford’s Guide, the distillery was founded in 1877 by John Brown and F. E. Cunningham, although bottles state 1870. Prohibition in Tennessee in 1910 and the national one in 1919 stopped production. In 1937 Schenley acquired the trademark, and in 1958 it rebuilt Cascade Hollow; in the 1990s the distillery was mothballed, and in 2003 it was revived.

How it is made. What distinguishes Tennessee whisky is the filtration of the spirit through charcoal, the so-called Lincoln County Process. According to press reports, Dickel cools the spirit before that. The whisky then matures in oak barrels.

Range. There are versions with an age statement, including 8 and 12 years; Cascade Hollow has been discontinued. Check the composition and strength on the label. Older reference books may be out of date, because some releases have been discontinued.

Why this matters to you. ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ is not just an address but a production method. Writing ‘whisky’ or ‘whiskey’ is the brand’s choice and says nothing about quality. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.