Cadenheads Enigma 21yo 2003/2025

Cadenheads Enigma 21yo 2003/2025

Enigma, WM Cadenhead 
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber, hints of gold
41.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, bananas, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, toffee, bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, Demerara sugar, cough syrup. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, cough syrup, bananas, toffee. 

Comments: 

Not too over-oaked, but instead laden with bananas and cinnamon and many other sweet things. Quite luscious and sticky, and the sort of thing I think bourbon could be with a little more patience.

Verdict:

I like this.

A Tennessee Whiskey 18yo (bottled 2021)

A Tennessee Whiskey 18yo (bottled 2021)

Individual Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber brown
47.7% ABV

Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, brown paper, vanilla, allspice, cooked rice, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, hot, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Orange peel, cherries, cooked rice, butterscotch, brown paper, croissants, hints of allspice. 
Finish: Long. Croissants, cooked rice, allspice, vanilla, brown paper. 

Comments: 

This is a George Dickel. Lots of cough syrup, or cherry notes (Dr Pepper?) overlay some buttery croissants and cooked rice. It’s really quite good, just another bit of evidence that we should age bourbon / American whisky properly.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Tennessee Whiskey 3yo 2016/2019

Tennessee Whiskey 3yo 2016/2019

Maltbarn
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Dark gold 
61.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butterscotch, raisins, honey, caramel, vanilla ice cream, bananas. With water, sweeter, fresh baked bread, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, watery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Bananas, honey, brown paper, caramel, red grapes, raisins, hints of ink. With water, fresh baked bread, raisins, honey, apples. 
Finish: Long. Apple juice, honey, raisins, black tea. 

Comments: 

Maltbarn 123. It's apparently George Dickel, and it's got a nice sweet, toffee apple character. Plenty of vanilla ice cream on the nose too. Brings some classic American desserts to mind.

Verdict:

I like this.

Peg Leg Porker 8yo

Peg Leg Porker 8yo

Peg Leg Porker
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Dark amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Corn syrup, pear drops, fig jam, brown paper, hints of lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla, corn syrup, lemon zest, rice pudding, hints of chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, vanilla, chocolate, rice pudding. 

Comments: 

An independent bottling of what consensus says is George Dickel. I tend to agree, it's got quite a few interesting notes, which means it's not Jack Daniel. There's plenty of sweet jammy stuff on the nose, and a cereally bite on the tongue which lasts till the finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

George Dickel No 8

George Dickel No 8

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, cinnamon, brown paper, sugar cane, coconut, hints of lemon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery, slightly chewy. 
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Bananas, peanuts, cinnamon, toffee, sugar cane, walnut skins. 
Finish: Medium. Walnut skins, peanuts, bananas, lemon peel. 

Comments: 

Hmm. An unusual bourbon (ok, sorry, Tennessee whiskey), it's got a burnt sugar taste that reminds me very much of rum. It's got heaps of bitter notes as well, along with the normal bananas and toffee. I quite enjoyed this.

Verdict:

I like this.

George Dickel Barrel Select

George Dickel Barrel Select

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber, tinge of green
43% ABV 
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, oak, bananas, cardamom, icing sugar, hints of leather, hints of brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, oily, loose, watery. 
Tasting: Sweet. Vanilla, oak, bananas, cardamom, pears, hints of leather. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, pears, cardamom. 

Comments: 

A bourbon (sorry, Tennessee whiskey) not dominated by bananas, cardboard or brown paper. Really complex, I think this must be older than most bourbons - 12 years and up perhaps? Spicy and tangy. Very nice indeed. To think that this isn't the small batch, named barrel version.


Verdict:

I like this a lot.

George Dickel No 12

George Dickel No 12

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber 
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, cream, caramel popcorn, orange peel, hints of lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, sticky, a little syrupy. 
Tasting: Sweet salty. Caramel popcorn, bananas, cream, orange peel, hints of red peppers. 
Finish: Short. Salty, caramel popcorn, bananas, red peppers, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Funny whiskey, this - light, yet sticky, sweet, yet a little savoury. Nice hints of salted caramel popcorn, with a vegetal, sweet finish. I can only think of red peppers when savouring the finish. How odd.

Verdict:

I like this.