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Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2021)

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Bourbon Review: Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2021)

We review the 2021 release of Michter's 20-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Just a handful of barrels ever make it this far.
  • Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer.
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Tasting Notes:

About:
Mash bill undisclosed, but straight bourbon aged at least 20 years in new American oak; 114.2 proof/57.1% alcohol by volume; bottle #592 of 678 tasted for this review; MSRP of $750 per 750 ml bottle, but you probably won’t find it for that price unless you win a control-state lottery. Some secondary markets were selling this for $10,000 a bottle by early 2022.
Appearance:
Dark amber. Thick legs on the side of the glass.
Nose:
Orange and apricot initially, followed by cloves, vanilla, chocolate, hazelnuts, and Graham crackers. This is deep and rich on the nose, with hints of tobacco and black pepper.
Palate:
When I go back and read my tasting notes on the 25-year-old Michter’s, I described it as almost chewing on something solid. The 20-year doesn’t have quite that same level of mouthfeel, but it is creamy and sumptuous. Pecan pie, butterscotch chips, and buttery toast come to mind first.
Finish:
It then settles onto the back part of the tongue tasting like leather and pipe smoke, before a long, honeyed finish. If “warm” could be a flavor, this whiskey has it in spades.
Comments:
In his own tasting notes, McKee found “intense notes of black cherry” in this whiskey. He’s certainly tasted a lot more of it than I have, and knows his business far better than I do. But I just didn’t find flavors reminiscent of dark cherries or prunes in here. What I did find was an excellent whiskey, very nearly the equal of its 25-year-old sibling. It’s complex, offering smells and tastes that continue to roll out at you in waves. If you have a chance to try it without taking out a second mortgage on your house, jump at it. My fishing buddies are in for a treat.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2021). (image via Debbie Nelson)
I’ve reviewed more than 50 whiskies for this website over the past three years. Some were mediocre or downright bad, others were good, and a few were truly great. But only once in that time, I have given a whiskey (or whisky) a 5-star rating: In December 2020, I pronounced that year’s batch of 25 Year Old Michter’s bourbon about as close to perfection as I was ever likely to taste. That bottle is long gone. I shared some at the time with my brother and a few friends who are whiskey regulars, then finished the bottle off on a fishing weekend with buddies. Only now, for the first time, do I regret not keeping a little of it around – if only so I could compare it with the new bottle of Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

The Making Of The Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2021)

It’s not news to anyone who reads this website that it’s difficult to age bourbon 20 years or more. The corn base and the fact that bourbon is required to be aged in new oak barrels means that after a certain amount of time, most of it will taste like you’re chewing on a piece of wood. It’s the rare barrel that can keep improving for so long, and the rare distiller who wants to spend the time and money necessary to attempt it.

Dan McKee, the master distiller at Michter’s, says he considers 17 to 20 years to be the fork-in-the-road moment – when only a few barrels are worth continuing to age, and he has to carefully groom the whiskey inside those select few.

Michter’s typically releases its 20-year-old expressions on a highly limited basis, often as part of its annual or periodic limited release schedule. However, the exact frequency can vary depending on the availability of well-aged barrels that meet their quality standards. Historically, these releases have occurred roughly once a year, but they are not guaranteed annually.

The rarity and demand for the Michter’s 20 Year Old make it one of their most sought-after offerings, often resulting in very limited bottle counts.

This latest batch is the first since 2019, and comes out at a healthy 114.2 proof.

If you’re lucky enough to find a bottle at MSRP, buy it on the spot. It takes one Google search of secondary-market prices to know that it’ll be a $750 investment you’re not likely to regret. It’s a far more difficult question about whether you want to – or can afford to – buy a bottle at the secondary prices. No website can answer that for you but read on for one reviewer’s opinion on what you’d get for your money if you did.

About Michter’s

Michter’s Distillery is renowned for its rich heritage and dedication to crafting exceptional American whiskeys. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Michter’s produces a distinguished range of bourbon, rye, and American whiskey, with roots tracing back to the 18th century. Known for their meticulous small-batch production, Michter’s emphasises quality over quantity, using carefully selected barrels and traditional aging techniques.

Tasting Notes: Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2021)

Vital stats: Mash bill undisclosed, but straight bourbon aged at least 20 years in new American oak; 114.2 proof/57.1% alcohol by volume; bottle #592 of 678 tasted for this review; MSRP of $750 per 750 ml bottle, but you probably won’t find it for that price unless you win a control-state lottery. Some secondary markets were selling this for $10,000 a bottle by early 2022.

Appearance: Dark amber. Thick legs on the side of the glass.

Nose: Orange and apricot initially, followed by cloves, vanilla, chocolate, hazelnuts, and Graham crackers. This is deep and rich on the nose, with hints of tobacco and black pepper.

Palate: When I go back and read my tasting notes on the 25-year-old Michter’s, I described it as almost chewing on something solid. The 20-year doesn’t have quite that same level of mouthfeel, but it is creamy and sumptuous. Pecan pie, butterscotch chips, and buttery toast come to mind first. It then settles onto the back part of the tongue tasting like leather and pipe smoke, before a long, honeyed finish. If “warm” could be a flavor, this whiskey has it in spades.

This review was originally published in March 2022, and updated in December 2024.

Scott Bernard Nelson

Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer based in Portland, Oregon. While currently working in higher education, he previously dedicated 22 years to journalism, covering impactful events such as 9/11 in Manhattan, crossing into Iraq with U.S. Marines, and contributing to The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church, which inspired the film "Spotlight." Since 2019, Scott has shared his insights as a whiskey reviewer for The Whiskey Wash.  

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