Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey
Specs
ABV: 50%
Age: NAS – blend of 8-14 year whiskeys according to their site
Recipe: Undisclosed mash bill. Filtered through maple charcoal
Distiller: Multiple undisclosed distilleries (George Dickel)
Country/Region: USA/Tennessee
Price Paid (MSRP): $50 ($50)
Tasting Notes
Nose: Caramel candies, barrel char, vanilla, mineral notes, and toasted cereal.
Palate: Medium mouth feel with a nice weight, some heat, maple, earth, cocoa, baking spices, charred oak, and a hint of peach. The signature Dickel chalk and mineral notes are present but don’t dominate and I think knowing the origins of this whiskey really has me searching for them.
Finish: Medium length, oak, chocolate, maple and vanilla. There’s a fairly tannic dryness on the back end.
Rating: 69/100 – Good | Better than average
This stuff is actually pretty good and I liked it more than I thought I would. Having now had a few of their whiskeys, I’m beginning to suspect that Dickel distillate doesn’t bother me as much as it does a lot of other bourbon drinkers. Uncle Nearest 1856 has fewer of those controversial notes, but I still wouldn’t recommend it if you are someone who struggles with Dickel products.
Putting that aside, this is a very rich pour with a lot of chocolate, oak, and maple notes. There’s this pervasive earthiness to it as well that’s different and enjoyable. The older whiskeys in the blend definitely seem to come through, perhaps even a little too much with the tannins on the finish. At $50 I think it’s a solid buy for an easy drinker with a unique profile.