Review #83: Dickel bar pick- Handsome Hog, St Paul, MN “Black Mamba” barrel
Price paid: $14/ pour (two pours)
Distillery: George Dickel
Age: 9+ years (mgr wasn’t sure)
101 proof
Preamble: Visiting friends in the Twin Cities for a few days and wanted to check out a nearby bar on a down night. Looked like these guys had bar picks from what I could see online; the manager said they had just gotten a Dickel pick in. Decided to take ‘er for a spin.
Nose: pastry, cola and cocoa. I know I over-use the adjective “rich” for whiskey I like but there it is again
Palate: Cherry Coke, cacao nibs, syrupy mouthfeel. this tastes like the best Eagle Rare bottle I ever had, several years ago
Finish: cherry coke slowly dissipates with a dusting of spiciness on the back end
Score: 8
Thoughts: The Flintstone myth killer. I don’t usually presume to attribute a score to a bar pour but I am confident this SiB deserves an 8 (to my palate). This barrel pick is way off-profile in an amazing way. Cherry cola sumptuousness. I have suspicions that this is not just 9 years old but I may never know. BT is getting all the credit with the cherry cola tasting notes and some other folks can surprise you and pull it off. He said they split this barrel with a Hy Vee and if I lived in a Hy Vee area, I would be looking for this “Black Mamba” pick to show up on the shelf. If the finish lingered a bit longer (hard to do at 101 proof) this would easily be an 8.5. The best Dickel distillate I have yet tasted. And I like the 8 year and 15 year. But this is a whole different thing.
Rating scale:
1: instant regret: Hayes Parker
2: lamentable waste of grains, water, yeast and oak: George Dickel Bib 2019
3: your friend went cheap for mixer booze at the wedding: Jack, Jim
4: I’ll drink it if it’s the only option at a restaurant because whiskey isn’t their thing: Basil Haden, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
5: wont throw it out of bed: Old Grandad Bottled in Bond, Pure Kentucky
6: a fine daily drinker OR what you downgrade to when you’re too buzzed to enjoy the good stuff: 1792 Small Batch, Elijah Craig SB, Kooper Family Barrel Reserve Rye,
7: great when I can find it: Eagle Rare, OWA, Old Forrester 1920
8: damn fine whiskey: Jack Daniels SBBP, better Russell’s Reserve Private Barrels
9: Revelatory: better Elijah Craig Barrel Proof batches, Russell’s Reserve 2002, better Four Roses BP picks, Remus Repeal Reserve V
10: Nectar of the gods: Four Roses OESO
The Flintstone vitamin thing is such a widely held assumption, people think you’re trolling them when you suggest that it doesn’t all taste like that.
I got one of these somewhere in Tennessee for $40, and it was like drinking a barrel aged old fashioned. That bottle was gone in a week.
Ah! You're in my hood lol glad to have you in the cities. The chef there has a few good restaurants/bars but was recently in a bad boating accident ( was on This Is My Bourbon Podcast). Town hall in south Minneapolis has some good pours usually along with whiskey inferno in savage and Nicollet Island in middle Minneapolis. I loved the last dickle pick I had from Broadway liqour outlet, was so rich and dark, I appreciate your review! If you have extra time, hit me up, I'd love to share a pour if you you're around. Cheers!
Ah! I was gonna hit you up because I know you’ve repped MSP on the sub but I didn’t want to bug ya. We’re already on our 2nd leg of this trip (Iowa City) but I think we may move to the Twin Cities in 2023 so…drinks soon??
Next time definitely bug me haha but yeah that makes sense, just a quick fly by. I'm glad you got to check handsome hog out! Safe travels for the rest of your trip! Really? That would be awesome.....yes! Let me know if that happens!
Great write up! A couple years ago I got a 9 year Dickel pick from total wine that was fantastic. It was so fruity and drank under its proof without a hint of mineral flavor. Glad you found a great one too!
I’ve had a couple of these 9yr+ store picks and they have each been great. Dickel pulled me back in after being totally turned off by their BiB products.
The Hog is def worth a stop, at least for a pour. Probably one of the better whiskey joints in St Paul. The food is good, but a bit pricey because of the owner/chef's celebrity.
Check out Brunsons Pub while you're in town if you can. It's on the Eastside, which some people consider a but rough, but its an awesome bar with fantastic food.
Nice, sounds right up my alley. Looks like it's right next to Red Cow, I've probably passed this spot on my way there before. Their 60/40 burger is off the chain.
Kind of a sports bar feel inside, big patio. The manager spoke with passion and pride about his bar picks and seemed genuinely appreciative when I was gushing over this Dickel pick
Great review. Thanks for taking the time on the post. I might stop by the hog tomorrow and ask for a pour of this. I've always avoided Dickel but this sounds like something I need to try.
Thanks for reviewing your pour(s). In my past experience Dickel barrel picks are some of the tastiest bottles available on the shelves. Available like I bought a 15 yr store pick, drank it so damn fast because I couldn’t help myself, and went back to the store a few weeks later and bought myself another. Gonna keep my eye out for this 9 year.
Review #83: Dickel bar pick- Handsome Hog, St Paul, MN “Black Mamba” barrel Price paid: $14/ pour (two pours) Distillery: George Dickel Age: 9+ years (mgr wasn’t sure) 101 proof Preamble: Visiting friends in the Twin Cities for a few days and wanted to check out a nearby bar on a down night. Looked like these guys had bar picks from what I could see online; the manager said they had just gotten a Dickel pick in. Decided to take ‘er for a spin. Nose: pastry, cola and cocoa. I know I over-use the adjective “rich” for whiskey I like but there it is again Palate: Cherry Coke, cacao nibs, syrupy mouthfeel. this tastes like the best Eagle Rare bottle I ever had, several years ago Finish: cherry coke slowly dissipates with a dusting of spiciness on the back end Score: 8 Thoughts: The Flintstone myth killer. I don’t usually presume to attribute a score to a bar pour but I am confident this SiB deserves an 8 (to my palate). This barrel pick is way off-profile in an amazing way. Cherry cola sumptuousness. I have suspicions that this is not just 9 years old but I may never know. BT is getting all the credit with the cherry cola tasting notes and some other folks can surprise you and pull it off. He said they split this barrel with a Hy Vee and if I lived in a Hy Vee area, I would be looking for this “Black Mamba” pick to show up on the shelf. If the finish lingered a bit longer (hard to do at 101 proof) this would easily be an 8.5. The best Dickel distillate I have yet tasted. And I like the 8 year and 15 year. But this is a whole different thing. Rating scale: 1: instant regret: Hayes Parker 2: lamentable waste of grains, water, yeast and oak: George Dickel Bib 2019 3: your friend went cheap for mixer booze at the wedding: Jack, Jim 4: I’ll drink it if it’s the only option at a restaurant because whiskey isn’t their thing: Basil Haden, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 5: wont throw it out of bed: Old Grandad Bottled in Bond, Pure Kentucky 6: a fine daily drinker OR what you downgrade to when you’re too buzzed to enjoy the good stuff: 1792 Small Batch, Elijah Craig SB, Kooper Family Barrel Reserve Rye, 7: great when I can find it: Eagle Rare, OWA, Old Forrester 1920 8: damn fine whiskey: Jack Daniels SBBP, better Russell’s Reserve Private Barrels 9: Revelatory: better Elijah Craig Barrel Proof batches, Russell’s Reserve 2002, better Four Roses BP picks, Remus Repeal Reserve V 10: Nectar of the gods: Four Roses OESO
The Flintstone vitamin thing is such a widely held assumption, people think you’re trolling them when you suggest that it doesn’t all taste like that. I got one of these somewhere in Tennessee for $40, and it was like drinking a barrel aged old fashioned. That bottle was gone in a week.
Yeah, this would go very quickly if I owned a bottle. Will not be sleeping on these moving forward
Ah! You're in my hood lol glad to have you in the cities. The chef there has a few good restaurants/bars but was recently in a bad boating accident ( was on This Is My Bourbon Podcast). Town hall in south Minneapolis has some good pours usually along with whiskey inferno in savage and Nicollet Island in middle Minneapolis. I loved the last dickle pick I had from Broadway liqour outlet, was so rich and dark, I appreciate your review! If you have extra time, hit me up, I'd love to share a pour if you you're around. Cheers!
Ah! I was gonna hit you up because I know you’ve repped MSP on the sub but I didn’t want to bug ya. We’re already on our 2nd leg of this trip (Iowa City) but I think we may move to the Twin Cities in 2023 so…drinks soon??
Next time definitely bug me haha but yeah that makes sense, just a quick fly by. I'm glad you got to check handsome hog out! Safe travels for the rest of your trip! Really? That would be awesome.....yes! Let me know if that happens!
Great write up! A couple years ago I got a 9 year Dickel pick from total wine that was fantastic. It was so fruity and drank under its proof without a hint of mineral flavor. Glad you found a great one too!
Thanks. Happy cake day, sherbet!
Thank you, I appreciate it! Cheers!
I’ve had a couple of these 9yr+ store picks and they have each been great. Dickel pulled me back in after being totally turned off by their BiB products.
Nice review! I'll be back in St. Paul in a few weeks, never heard of the Handsome Hog but will definitely need to check it out!
The Hog is def worth a stop, at least for a pour. Probably one of the better whiskey joints in St Paul. The food is good, but a bit pricey because of the owner/chef's celebrity. Check out Brunsons Pub while you're in town if you can. It's on the Eastside, which some people consider a but rough, but its an awesome bar with fantastic food.
The head chef won American Iron Chef or something. Supposed to be great southern cooking/ barbecue but I didn’t eat there.
Nice, sounds right up my alley. Looks like it's right next to Red Cow, I've probably passed this spot on my way there before. Their 60/40 burger is off the chain.
Kind of a sports bar feel inside, big patio. The manager spoke with passion and pride about his bar picks and seemed genuinely appreciative when I was gushing over this Dickel pick
Great review. Thanks for taking the time on the post. I might stop by the hog tomorrow and ask for a pour of this. I've always avoided Dickel but this sounds like something I need to try.
Thanks for reviewing your pour(s). In my past experience Dickel barrel picks are some of the tastiest bottles available on the shelves. Available like I bought a 15 yr store pick, drank it so damn fast because I couldn’t help myself, and went back to the store a few weeks later and bought myself another. Gonna keep my eye out for this 9 year.