November 6, 2012 marked the likely loss of a constitutionally literate Supreme Court, the solidification of Obamacare, the potential end of affordable energy, a probable massive tax hike, and near-definite GOP bedwetting and infighting. Man, it seemed, was doomed; woman would inherit the earth.
But then a glimmer of hope, not only for men, but for every thirsty American. A hark back to the country’s founding, and the man who led the Revolution; a call to tradition, and, despite the best efforts of the Irish, civilization; a symbol of times good, and a steady friend for the rest. We’re talking, of course, about rye whiskey.
Because on Nov. 21 — a mere 15 days after disaster — George Dickel Tennessee Whisky is set to begin shipping bottles of its brand new, charcoal-filtered, 90-proof straight rye. Just in time.
And as they say in Tennessee, “If you only know Jack, you don’t know Dickel.”
See, old George was born only 40 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and he began distilling his whiskey just 74 years after Gen. George Washington began his own distillery in a chicken coop. (RELATED: TheDC distills George Washington’s whiskey at Mount Vernon)
But as with today, it didn’t take long for the progressives to take aim at all our first president loved about his country, and in 1909, Tennessee beat the feds to banning alcohol in its territory. Though they dodged the law for nearly a decade, when Prohibition was passed nationally, George Dickel Tennessee Whisky was forced under. It would be nearly four decades before Master Distiller Ralph Dupps researched the original recipe and opened up a new George Dickel distillery less than a mile from its original site.
But despite offering three lines of Tennessee whiskey, it wasn’t until 2012 that the gang at Dickel followed in Washington’s footsteps to create their own rye. And we’re here to tell you it was worth the wait.
Right away, we knew this was an exceptional spirit. The nose was sweeter than usual for its type, but not the typical bourbon molasses, instead giving off notes of rose, apple and pine with just a hint of spice.
On the tongue, this whiskey had a warming characteristic and a light spice, almost seasonal and perfect for Christmas. Starting soft and finishing with a strong touch of spice on the end of the tongue, George Dickel Rye is very drinkable and could be enjoyed neat.
This whiskey is also lighter than your average rye, and we wouldn’t suggest mixing it into a cocktail. This, it turns out, is appropriate, as the old man himself spelled his “whiskey” without the “e” to make a point that it was the equal of any Scotch sipping whisky in the world.
And this is a good thing. Because right now, while times are bad and almost ensured to continue as such, it’s a damn fine thing to enjoy a drink with deep American roots.
So we’ll enjoy George Dickel Tennessee Rye Whisky, and when the bastards try to get us down, we’ll lift a glass of this American original high, and toast the spirit of her people.
