The Michter’s distillery in Kentucky, among other bottlings, occasionally releases a 20 year old bourbon. While one might typically think of such a whiskey as being over-oaked given its extended time in barrel, the 2018 20 year old release we found to be quite an outstanding expression actually, as did noted whiskey writer Jim Murray, who awarded it the winner of its 16-20 year old bourbon category in his latest Whisky Bible. Now word has come down of a pending 2019 release of it.
The 2019 release of Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon, according to those behind it, was recently approved for distribution by both Michter’s Master Distiller Dan McKee and Michter’s Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. It has been bottled at 114.2 proof and is shooting to be another top shelf winner from Michter’s.
“It’s an elegant bourbon with lots of depth and cascading flavors,” said Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco in a prepared statement.
It is said that older barrels in Michter’s rickhouses “receive extra attention from the production team.” This falls into a protocol whereby McKee and Wilson taste their “most mature lots of whiskey more frequently to determine peak quality.”
“By paying such careful attention to maturation, we wind up with 20 year plus barrels that can be really special and complex without being overly woody,” added McKee.
As it stands now plans call for this 20 year old bourbon to price around $700 per 750 ml bottle, which is in line with last year’s release. It will start shipping from Michter’s Shively Distillery to distributors and importers in early November.