Michter's

Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is made from a carefully selected mashbill that features the highest quality American corn. It is then matured to the peak of perfection. Truly “small batch,” each batch of our US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is batched in a holding tank sized to fit a maximum of twenty full barrels, leaving no margin for “blending out” imperfection and thus necessitating excellence from every barrel. Reflecting the spirit of the Bluegrass State, Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is nuanced, mellow and earthy. Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is also available with personalized Fort Nelson Select labeling at Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery!

Unlike bourbon or rye, which, by definition, must be aged in new oak barrels, our US*1 Unblended American Whiskey is aged in a way that utilizes whiskey-soaked barrels to achieve a rich and unique flavor profile. In late 2013, then Master Distiller Willie Pratt agreed to re-release our US*1 Unblended American Whiskey after a nearly three-year absence from the market, deeming it “just right” and “the best it’s ever been.” Crucially, our US*1 Unblended American Whiskey never contains grain neutral spirits – hence its “unblended” distinction.

Upon its being named “Whisky Of The Year” for 2019 by The Whisky Exchange, Michter’s US*1 Sour Mash Whiskey became the first whiskey made in the United States to ever achieve this honor. It is this award winning whiskey that is at the heart of our Toasted Barrel Sour Mash Whiskey. It is made by taking Michter’s US*1 Sour Mash Whiskey and then aging it for an additional period of time in a second custom made barrel. This second barrel is assembled from 18-month air-dried wood and then toasted but not charred. Several different levels of toast for the second barrel were evaluated before our production team led by Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson decided on the one that would best display the elegant nuances of this remarkable whiskey.

Our exceptionally rare 25 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye release continues the legacy of America’s first whiskey variety (rye) from America’s first whiskey company (Michter’s, originally known as Shenk’s). Subjected to the costly evaporation of a quarter century of “Angel’s Share,” our 25 Year Single Barrel Rye continues the Michter’s tradition of sparing no expense in striving to offer the finest whiskey possible.

Renowned for rye – America’s oldest whiskey variety – since the earliest days of our history, we take the production of Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye extremely seriously. Our Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye is made from select American rye grain that is sheared to maximize the extraction of flavor from the grain. Ideal neat or in cocktails, every bottle comes from a single barrel – a unique attribute reflecting our extraordinary commitment to offering Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey of the absolute highest quality at every level of the Michter’s range. Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye is also available with personalized Fort Nelson Select labeling at Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery.

Since the 1990’s, the Michter’s team has been doing pioneering work to re-establish the high quality American rye whiskey category. The May 2015 inaugural release of Michter’s US★1 Barrel Strength Rye marked yet another milestone in that quest. For maturation, the rye distillate is entered into the barrel at 103 proof, rather than a more industry standard higher proof. Barrel entry at a lower proof of 103 rather than a higher proof costs Michter’s more money in terms of barrels and warehousing, but we believe it yields a richer, smoother, more full-bodied whiskey after proper maturation. A single barrel product, each barrel of Michter’s US★1 Barrel Strength Rye is bottled at its particular alcohol level at the time of bottling. The majority of barrels in the releases range from 107 to 112 proof. To savor it is a unique experience for anyone who enjoys rye whiskey.

We believe that our 25 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon is as fine as any bourbon ever released throughout Michter’s storied history. This exceptionally flavorful bourbon was distilled from a select mashbill, then matured to perfection for over a quarter of a century in specially chosen, new charred American white oak barrels. We continue to strive to make the best bourbon possible regardless of production cost. We hope you enjoy our Michter’s 25 Year Limited Release Bourbon as a fine emblem of our commitment to excellence.

While our Michter’s team distills according to tried and true Kentucky practices, it continually experiments as it pursues Michter’s goal of making the greatest American whiskeys. Following years of research on different barrel finishes for rye whiskey, we are proud to offer this release of our Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Rye. To make it we take our US*1 Kentucky Straight Rye at barrel strength and then age it for an additional period in a second custom barrel. This second barrel is assembled from 24 month air-dried wood and then toasted to our specifications. The result is a unique rye whiskey that we take pride in offering to you.

One of our most limited production items, Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye continues the legacy of America’s first whiskey variety (rye) from America’s first whiskey company (Michter’s, originally known as Shenk’s). After a nearly three year absence from the market, Michter’s then Master Distiller Willie Pratt finally gave the green light for the re-release of Michter’s 10 Year Straight Rye in April 2014.

Because our home is Louisville, we always enjoy celebrating Kentucky’s wonderful bourbon industry with our friends who visit us. In the summer of 2017, we released our US★1 Kentucky Straight Barrel Strength Bourbon for the first time ever. Because we have to allocate our whiskeys due to our limited stocks, we were only able to make this available in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In the future, we hope to be in a position to make this whiskey more available. We very much appreciate our loyal Michter’s drinkers who have been so understanding and so supportive through our whiskey shortages. Tasting Notes: Concentrated character with rich caramel and luxurious toffee balanced by vanilla, hints of apricot and cherry and other stone fruits, roasted pecans and molasses with some charred oak highlights.

While we regularly sample all our Michter’s barrels to see how our whiskey is aging, we pay exceptional attention to our barrels once they are over 17 years old. At Michter’s we consider 17 to 20 years the “Fork In The Road Point” when certain barrels of whiskey can achieve an extraordinary level of quality. It is these particular barrels that our Master Distiller Dan McKee personally selects for our very limited bottling of Michter’s 20 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

Unlike Bourbon or Rye, which, by definition, must be aged in new oak barrels, our US★1 Unblended American Whiskey is aged in a way that utilizes whiskey-soaked barrels to achieve a rich and unique flavor profile. Crucially, our US★1 Unblended American Whiskey never contains grain neutral spirits – hence its “unblended” distinction. Tasting Notes: Deep butterscotch and vanilla notes, hints of caramel, and dried fruit with a ripened fruit finish.

Mitchers American Whiskey is rich copper colored with a hint of vanilla and molassas.

Mature in age and truly exceptional in quality, Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon has earned its place as an enduring favorite of the most discerning whiskey connoisseurs. The “Best American Whiskey” according to Food & Wine magazine, our 10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon represents the culmination of over a decade of patient aging in specially chosen, new charred American white oak barrels. When a private barrel selection bottling of this whiskey sold for £166,000 (US$ 209,462) at an auction in London on July 12th 2020, it shattered the previous $78,000 record for a barrel of bourbon that had been set at a Christie’s auction.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Michter’s Original Sour Mash Whiskey was the distillery’s single most popular product. While the “Sour Mash” moniker originated from the whiskey production process of the same name – whereby some previously fermented mash is used as the starter for the new mash to be fermented, much like making sourdough bread – Michter’s Original Sour Mash earned distinction for its unique taste. With its unique grain selection, it cannot be categorized as a rye or a bourbon. After disappearing from the market in 1989, Michter’s Original Sour Mash Whiskey made a triumphant return in 2012 with its introduction into the US★1 line. Staying true to the profile and palate of its predecessor, Michter’s US★1 Sour Mash has quickly become a favorite of whiskey enthusiasts. Upon its being named “Whisky Of The Year” for 2019 by The Whisky Exchange, Michter’s US★1 Sour Mash Whiskey became the first whiskey made in the United States to ever achieve this honor.

Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is made from a carefully selected mash bill that features the highest quality American corn. It is then matured to the peak of perfection. Truly “small batch” each batch of our US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is batched in a holding tank sized to fit a maximum of twenty full barrels, leaving no margin for “blending out” imperfection and thus necessitating excellence from every barrel. Reflecting the spirit of the Bluegrass State, Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is nuanced, mellow, and earthy.

First introduced to great acclaim in the Fall of 2014, Michter’s US★1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon is a groundbreaking whiskey expression. It is made by taking Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon and then aging it for an additional period in a second custom made barrel. This second barrel is assembled from 18-month air-dried wood and then toasted but not charred. The truly unique and delicious taste of Michter’s US★1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon represents a remarkable achievement given that it is Kentucky Straight Bourbon with nothing extra added or done except placement in a second toasted barrel.

Renowned for rye – America’s oldest whiskey variety – since the earliest days of our history, we take the production of Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye extremely seriously. Our Michter’s US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye is made from select American rye grain that is sheared to maximize the extraction of flavor from the grain. Ideal neat or in cocktails, every bottle comes from a single barrel – a unique attribute reflecting our extraordinary commitment to offering Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey of the absolute highest quality at every level of the Michter’s range. Tasting Notes: Spice with peppery notes, citrus, butterscotch, oak.