Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by Michter’s. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review.
This looks familiar, I thought to myself as I eyed this bottle. Not that it’s Michter’s, but because it’s the 10-year version. I rummaged in my liquor cabinet: Aha! There it was. And then I rummaged around online: There it was, too! I had reviewed it here two years ago. (That is what happens when you have a lot of whiskey; you go through it slowly. Funny how two years goes fast when you have a lot of whiskey.)
That is my moderately long-winded point that I like Michter’s and have for a while. It’s one of my go-tos, and not just because Michter’s and I both have shared Pennsylvania roots. It’s interesting because in 2017, I’d written that it was one of the first releases from their master distiller Pam Heilmann, who had become one of the first women to serve as a master distiller at a Kentucky distillery since prohibition.
But as of this past May, Heilmann’s retired, as we reported, and replacing her is her protege Dan McKee. McKee, according to Michter’s, is quite ready to take on this role, having worked alongside Heilmann for a decade, first at Jim Beam and then at Michter’s. This is thus among McKee’s first bottlings.
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Tasting Notes: Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2019)
Vital stats: 94.4 proof; aged 10 years (duh) in new charred American white oak; about $130 per 750 ml bottle
Appearance: Intense copper: A brand new penny, and shiny penny loafers. It’s almost neon; it glows. I could probably pour a glass and use it to guide my way if the power went out. It might also have other fun applications then, too.
Nose: Rich and desserty and complex. I am already excited about tasting this. Caramel corn, marshmallows, chocolate-chocolate chip cookies. Fresh figs. Oddly: lavender. And a little bit of sage.
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Palate: This is spicier on the front end than you would think, given the sweet nose. But it mellows into a Nilla wafer finish, and a rich smoothness that coats your mouth and throat in a delightful way. Also a little cinnamon but not like a mouthful of it, like a cinnamon challenge (do not try this at home). Sugar cookies. But all this isn’t too sweet. It’s not sugary—but it carries with it the heft of a satisfying dessert.
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