Michter's US*1 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, 70 cl, 42.4% ABV

Product Information

With Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Straight Rye sporting an 84.8 proof point, it’s rather perplexing as many brands have moved away from the 80 proof range. Michter’s has always gone for the most widespread appeal with their brands, so perhaps this shouldn’t be too surprising. With a noteworthy array of flavors, hitting a 90-100 proof range would have likely put them in an even better spotlight, elevating this rye to a higher level.

This juice is Michter’s standard rye that’s finished in a second, toasted barrel. In this case, those barrels are air-dried for 24 long months before being lightly toasted and loaded with the rye. The juice then goes into the bottle at barrel strength. On the palate, we are presented with a big, immediate rush of woody spice and baking spice, along with significant tobacco and toasted oak. The rye grain is there, with classical rye spice and pepper, along with more savory tobacco, along with milk chocolate and plum-like dark stone fruit. At the same time, however, it’s really the oak that steals the whole show, contributing complex spice box and marshmallow notes, along with significant tannin that leads to a fairly dry finish to what begins as a pretty sweet entry. Value for Price: Our tasting panel’s assessment of this product’s quality-to-cost ratio within its larger category of competitors. Palate: That fruit becomes more dried and almost salted on the palate while bourbon vanilla and mild caramel sweetness mingle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Michter’s showpiece location, the “Fort Nelson Distillery,” is in downtown Louisville. Though this building has “a legendary historic distillation system,” the company’s Shively facility (DSP KY-20003) actually houses Michter’s processing and bottling operations. Two experimental pot stills were augmented by the addition of a 46-foot column still and doubler setup in 2014. Distilling appears to have commenced (judging by photos of the facility), but that doesn’t mean we’re yet tasting anything that Michter’s has produced itself.Finish: The finish leans into woody winter spice barks and buds — think cinnamon, clove, and allspice — with a sense of whole red peppercorns soaked in molasses, a whisper of walnut cake, and a thin line of toasted marshmallows dipped in dark chocolate. Palate: The palate is part Red Hot and part zesty orange marmalade with creamy vanilla pudding, sweet and spicy dried chili peppers with a hint of smoke and woodiness, and this fleeting whisper of celery salt.

The shortage goes beyond just Michter’s. The world is seeing a rye shortage that will only get worse. Quite simply: rye didn’t used to be popular. People didn’t know how good it was, and distillers created amounts to match demand. And with spirits like gin or vodka that don’t age (generally), that can easily be rectified. But with whiskey, the offset between distilling and releasing is a matter of years. Goddamn, this bottle has no business being as good as it is for this price. It’s a legitimately first-rate single barrel rye that you can actually find pretty much everywhere and also afford. That’s a quasi-miracle on its own these days. Palate: The palate really leans into the smoked almonds with a nice savory edge while the butter marries the holiday cake and almonds to create rich marzipan with a very mild cedar note that’s like a very old cigar humidor.An Ode to the Horniest Sitcom Parents, the Belchers and the Wilkersons By Clare Martin April 11, 2023 | 10:40am OK, so: sourced whiskey is largely a rip-off and should be avoided. What makes it doubly annoying is that some of these brands actually seem to engender the type of passionate fandom typically reserved for real distilleries. A misplaced loyalty evolves, with benighted admirers convincing themselves that there’s something special and wonderful about this essentially transactional approach to selling whiskey. Finish: That dryness drives the mid-palate towards the finish with a pecan shell vibe next to slightly bitter singed cedar bark. Already we’re seeing younger releases coming to market, and that will continue, in addition to just seeing less rye whiskey altogether. We’re also going to see new and more experimental rye whiskies– which I think is only a good thing, in an industry built upon creativity and innovation. And another hopeful caveat to that – a decade or so down the line, we’re going to be seeing some really, really good aged ryes coming out. Finish: The end is full of dark cherry and woody spice with moist marzipan, burnt orange oils, and chewy fresh tobacco wrapped up in old leather and cedar bark with a hint more of that old cellar sneaking in.

This is another rye whiskey that has no business tasting as good as it does while still being fairly gettable (albeit at a price). Michter’s likes to say its 10-year rye “continues the legacy of America’s first whiskey variety (rye) from America’s first whiskey company.” The distillery ties its history to Shenk’s, which opened in Pennsylvania in 1753 – and, no doubt, made Monongahela Rye. That distillery eventually became Bomberger which, following Prohibition and another couple of decades, became Michter’s. We review the 2023 edition of Michter’s 10 Year Rye, aged a minimum of 10 years as a single barrel style release. (image via Michter’s) Finish: The end really leans into the cherry tobacco with a layer of mild chili spice and more of that soft and sweet orchard firewood. Overall: Our tasting panel’s overall assessment of the quality of the product,as well as its rank in comparison to others within the categoryThe Best Sitcoms on Netflix Right Now (October 2023) By Garrett Martin and Paste Staff October 20, 2023 | 12:00pm I guess the one point in favor of sourcing is if (and a big IF) the bottler truly does have a unique process or recipe. Like Old Elk, for example, who use a unique-to-them mash bill. Sure, it’s sourced by MGP, but you can’t just go out elsewhere and get a high-malt mash bill under another MGP label or brand name (not that I’m aware of, anyway). Still, why not be transparent about it (at least Old Elk appears to be fairly transparent in this)?