Kentucky-based Michter’s Distillery has announced the 2025 release of its highly sought-after 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The limited edition whiskey, personally selected by master distiller Dan McKee, will begin shipping to select US retailers in December with a suggested price of $1,200 per 750ml bottle.
The whiskey is bottled at 114.2 proof (57.1% ABV) and has been matured in new, charred American white oak barrels.
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McKee selects the barrels for the bottling after a rigorous sampling process. Michter’s pays particularly close attention to its whiskey stocks once they reach 17 years of age.
The distillery refers to the 17- to 20-year maturation window as the “Fork in the Road Point,” a time when certain barrels are judged to have achieved an extraordinary level of quality.
Andrea Wilson, Michter’s master of maturation, oversees barrel management and warehouse conditions for the brand. “Details matter when it comes to ageing bourbon gracefully,” she said.
“Michter’s 20 Year Old Bourbon is an exemplary representation of how oak can be used to deepen vanilla, toffee, chocolate, spice, fruit and confectionery notes that enhance complexity in bourbon,” Wilson commented.
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She added: “We hope that everyone who gets the opportunity to taste this product experiences the beloved attributes of a beautiful, timeless bourbon crafted through intentional ageing.”
Due to the challenges of extended maturation in new oak, the distillery does not follow a set annual schedule for the expression, releasing it only when barrels are deemed ready.
“By law, bourbon must be aged in a brand new barrel, which imparts flavor, color and oak character more quickly than a used barrel,” said Michter’s president, Joseph J. Magliocco.
The 20 Year Old Bourbon was last released in late 2022, with no bottling taking place in 2023.
The announcement comes three months after Michter’s was named The World’s Most Admired Whiskey for a third time. The 2025 list, published by Drinks International, is determined by an academy of 100 independent global drinks buyers, journalists, and whisky experts.
