I just opened my first bottle of Ridge's beloved George Dickel rye.
First impressions:
Poor wrapper with only one perforation resulting in having to spiral it down in thin strips. Minimal annoyance.
Under the wrapper - a real cork, not a screwtop. So that's good.
First tasting - neat:
Moderate acidity on first sip
Moderately sweet, which was surprising
Acidity continues into middle, slightly attenuated
Late stage slight spiciness, not as much as I've noticed with other ryes. Not so much peppery as... maybe a long slow burn. Pleasant. Very lingering.
Not overly "full" or "rich" in the flavor profile. For me, it's very distinct in those three categories - early acidity, surprisingly sweet but not fruity, long lingering spiciness.
Maybe I'm completely off. I dunno. That's what I tasted.
Now... mixed as my personal favorite mixed drink - the whiskey sour.
I use a Marquis by Waterford 12-oz double Old-Fashioned style tumbler.
Just over 1/2 full with ice, no more than 2/3.
Cubes like this - not tightly-packed crushed ice or anything
Fill with whiskey to 1/2 or slightly above.
2 dashes of bitters
Fill with fresh homemade sweet & sour mix.
If you want, add a cherry or two. This depends on the batch of mix you made and the characteristics of the whiskey you are using. For the Dickel's, no cherry.
Overall, this is a very pleasant whiskey sour. Dickel's is pretty cheap (thanks, @RidgeHunter), so I can see it being a regular for me. It's got a pleasant sweetness that doesn't become cloying, the bitters adds a lot of depth and richness to the Dickel's, which straight I found a bit thin instead of full, but I'm pretty happy with it. Matter of fact, in writing this post, I've finished my 1st and am going to go make another. To fill it out a bit more, I think I'll add another ounce or so of whiskey.
Anyways... there it is. I'm not a professional reviewer, just my personal thoughts.
Note* - so far my favorite rye is Sazerac. Very spicy.
First impressions:
Poor wrapper with only one perforation resulting in having to spiral it down in thin strips. Minimal annoyance.
Under the wrapper - a real cork, not a screwtop. So that's good.
First tasting - neat:
Moderate acidity on first sip
Moderately sweet, which was surprising
Acidity continues into middle, slightly attenuated
Late stage slight spiciness, not as much as I've noticed with other ryes. Not so much peppery as... maybe a long slow burn. Pleasant. Very lingering.
Not overly "full" or "rich" in the flavor profile. For me, it's very distinct in those three categories - early acidity, surprisingly sweet but not fruity, long lingering spiciness.
Maybe I'm completely off. I dunno. That's what I tasted.
Now... mixed as my personal favorite mixed drink - the whiskey sour.
I use a Marquis by Waterford 12-oz double Old-Fashioned style tumbler.
Just over 1/2 full with ice, no more than 2/3.
Cubes like this - not tightly-packed crushed ice or anything
Fill with whiskey to 1/2 or slightly above.
2 dashes of bitters
Fill with fresh homemade sweet & sour mix.
If you want, add a cherry or two. This depends on the batch of mix you made and the characteristics of the whiskey you are using. For the Dickel's, no cherry.
Overall, this is a very pleasant whiskey sour. Dickel's is pretty cheap (thanks, @RidgeHunter), so I can see it being a regular for me. It's got a pleasant sweetness that doesn't become cloying, the bitters adds a lot of depth and richness to the Dickel's, which straight I found a bit thin instead of full, but I'm pretty happy with it. Matter of fact, in writing this post, I've finished my 1st and am going to go make another. To fill it out a bit more, I think I'll add another ounce or so of whiskey.
Anyways... there it is. I'm not a professional reviewer, just my personal thoughts.
Note* - so far my favorite rye is Sazerac. Very spicy.
