A recent statement from Michter’s notes that the whiskey maker continues to face inventory constraints due to strong demand … a good problem to be had.
Company officials explained that they’re taking steps to expand responsibly, as in recent years when Michter’s grew their fermentation capacity by adding six 18,000-gallon fermenters made by Louisville-based Vendome Copper & Brass Works.
In late 2022, Michter’s transitioned its core Shively distillery to an around-the-clock operation. And the company has made significant investments in its bottling operations, going live with new bottling equipment in January of this year in order to bring more of its whiskey to market.
“We recognize the frustration of some of our supporters as they encounter challenges in finding certain Michter’s releases on the shelf,” said Andrea Wilson, Michter’s master of maturation. “We want our loyal Michter’s drinkers to know we are trying to continue to invest in the growth of the brand while maintaining the exceptional level of our whiskeys.”
She said they have a 30-year planning horizon for their whiskeys and use models to plan sales. “And we work hard to focus on staying true to the quality of our whiskeys.”
Michter’s Executive Vice President Steve Ziegler is tasked with allocating the Kentucky whiskeys offered by Michter’s to the company’s distributors and importers.
“My job was a lot easier years ago when we felt lucky to sell 50 three bottle packs nationally in a month,” Ziegler said. “We are still quite small compared to many other whiskey companies. Our Master Distiller Dan McKee and our Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson decide when specific barrels are aged to their standards and ready to release, and I do my best to spread that whiskey around to our customers. Unfortunately, what we release simply is not enough to meet demand right now, and we are addressing the shortfall without cutting corners.”
Master Distiller Dan McKee said the goal is to make great American whiskey. “We would love to be able to offer more of it, but we simply won’t do so until the whiskey is ready at the standard our loyal Michter’s drinkers expect. I do think that we have some good news to share in that respect, which is why I am so happy to introduce the 2023 release of Michter’s 10 Year Rye.”
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While all types of Michter’s continue to be allocated, the distillery is releasing the 10 Year Rye for the first time since July of 2022. It’s a Kentucky-style rye with corn and malted barley in the mash bill, and Michter’s 10 Year Rye has a suggested U.S. retail price of $200 per 750ml bottle.
Wilson described the 10 Year Rye as “elegant, yet full of herbal and honey characters with warm spice resulting in a captivating, rich, smooth drinking experience.”
For more information, check out www.michters.com.
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