George Dickel is one of those names that doesn't always get the credit it deserves in the bourbon conversation. Based in Tullahoma, Tennessee, the brand has long lived in the shadow of its more famous neighbour, but their small batch releases have been turning heads for good reason. This 8 Year Old Small Batch Bourbon, bottled at 45% ABV, sits in a sweet spot — old enough to have developed genuine depth, proofed high enough to carry flavour without burning, and priced at £83.95 in a bracket that asks you to take it seriously.
What draws me to this bottle is the age statement. Eight years is meaningful for bourbon. Unlike Scotch, where you might want 12 or 15 years of oak contact, bourbon barrels are new charred American oak — aggressive, generous, and fast-acting. By year eight, you're past the young grain-forward punch and into territory where the wood has had time to integrate properly. The char layer has done its work filtering the spirit, and you should expect a bourbon that leans into rich caramel, toasted oak, and that signature Tennessee smoothness.
At 45% ABV, this is bottled just above the legal minimum for straight bourbon and sits at a proof point I genuinely appreciate. It's strong enough to hold its own with a single ice cube or a splash of water, but approachable enough to sip neat without any need to acclimatise your palate first. For a small batch release, that balance matters — it tells me someone made a deliberate choice about which barrels to marry together and at what strength to present them.
Tasting Notes
I'll be upfront — I'm not going to fabricate specific tasting notes here. What I can tell you is that an 8-year-old bourbon at this proof, from this part of Tennessee, should deliver on the classic profile: think warm baking spices, vanilla, oak tannins that have softened with time, and a sweetness that comes from years of interaction between spirit and charred wood. The small batch designation means fewer barrels were selected, which typically translates to a more focused, consistent character rather than the broader blend you get in a standard release.
The Verdict
At £83.95, the George Dickel 8 Year Old Small Batch sits in competitive territory. You're paying for an age-stated, small batch American whiskey from an established producer, and honestly, that feels fair. There are bourbons at this price point with no age statement and lower proof that offer less. The eight-year maturation gives this bottle a maturity that younger competitors simply can't match, and the small batch approach should mean quality control was tight on barrel selection.
I'm giving this a 7.8 out of 10. It's a well-made bourbon that delivers on its promises — proper age, considered proof, and small batch credibility. It doesn't need to shout. The score reflects a whiskey that does the fundamentals right and rewards the drinker who appreciates craftsmanship over hype. If you're building a bourbon shelf and want something with genuine substance behind the label, this belongs on it.
Best Served
This is a bourbon that earns the right to be sipped neat, but it's also built for an Old Fashioned. The age and proof make it an ideal base — use a good demerara sugar cube, two dashes of Angostura bitters, and an expressed orange peel. The eight years of oak character will stand up to the sweetness and spice without getting lost. If neat is your preference, a single large ice cube will open it up nicely as it dilutes, letting the barrel influence evolve in the glass over twenty minutes. Either way, give it a moment to breathe before your first sip.
