George Dickel and Friends

How the Longstanding Tennessee distiller Became the Cool Whiskey on the Block

Nicole Austin, the master distiller at George Dickel

Used to be, the only time you heard from George Dickel—the second biggest names in Tennessee Whiskey (the first is Jack whatshisname)—was when they ran out of something.

Back in 2007, there was a much-publicized temporary shortage of the George Dickel’s Old No. 8 flagship brand, owing to liquor giant D…