German immigrant George A. Dickel was an established Nashville merchant when he entered the whisky business in the 1860s. Dickel grew his reputation for selling the smoothest, most mellow spirits in the region. Thus, Geo. A. Dickel & Co. was born and when the Cascade Hollow Distillery opened in 1878 in neighboring Coffee County, George Dickel bought a large share. Though he was not the distiller
of the whiskey, which was originally sold under the brand name "Cascade", his wholesaling firm played an important role in its distribution and marketing, and his name appeared on its labels throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When Cascade's new owners reopened the original Cascade Hollow distillery in the 1950s, they renamed the whiskey for Dickel.
The brand is now owned by Diageo PLC. Its distillery is part of the American Whiskey Trail and offers tours to the public.
The brand's labels use the traditional Scottish spelling of whisky, as opposed to whiskey, although the latter spelling is more common in American English. According to the company, this is because Dickel believed his product to be as smooth and high in quality as the best Scotch whiskies.Show more