Welcome to the first review of a bourbon exclusively reviewed on my blog! I thought I’d hit the ground running so picked a real beast of a pour. If you’ve followed my endeavors in the past you’ll be aware that I have not kept it a secret that I am a devoted fan of the Michter’s line. Based in Louisville KY, the juice put out by these guys is really second to none. Everything from their US☆1 range to their premium Michter’s releases have been, and still are (looking at you 25 y.o Bourbon and Rye) on my wish-list since I started my whiskey adventure!
Today I will be taking a look at one of their premium offerings: Michter’s 10 y.o Bourbon (2015 release). This bourbon is released twice annually and features a 10 year old single barrel 94.4 proof (47.2% ABV) bourbon whiskey that’s sourced from an unknown distillery in Kentucky. Unfortunately, the demand is always high when quality whiskey like this is involved so finding a bottle can be a challenge at times – but it is always worth the chase. The bourbon itself is a mystery- the only information provided is the proof and the age. Although it says 10 year old on the label this only indicates that the whiskey is at least 10 years old. However, rumours have circulated that what is in the bottle is sometimes much older. In lay man’s terms, this means you could be getting something truly special.
As with all of their whiskies, Michter’s use their own filtration process to create the desired flavour profile, however, the evidence of barrel char in the bottom of my bottle indicates that some of the good flavours are definitely still there. Review time!
Vital Stats:
Name: Michter’s 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 10 years old
Proof: 94.4 proof (47.2% Alcohol by Volume)
Type: Single Barrel Straight Bourbon (Barrel no: L15L954)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Distillery: Michter’s, KY
Source: Unknown (KY Distillery)
Website: http://www.michters.com
Glassware: Glencairn
Review:
Appearance: A nice medium caramel
Nose: On the nose, you get a deep caramel and vanilla bomb with faint notes of oak spice
Palate: A viscous mouthfeel combines with floral vanilla, an earthy nuttiness, a touch of oak spice, and intense almost burnt caramel complexity
Finish: More deep caramel, some oak spice, lots of vanilla sweetness, and a sweet but earthy/nutty aftertaste that coats the mouth and rests on the tongue
Overall:
If I had to use two words to describe this pour it would be ‘pure pleasure’. There’s nothing unattractive about this pour to me and it ticks all the boxes for a drink you can just sit back and enjoy without having to search your palate for those delicious notes!
One of the best things about this whiskey is that by only releasing the age and proof of this bourbon, Michter’s compels you to base your judgement of the whiskey on its taste alone (no distillery bias involved). This strategy has really paid off when it comes to this whiskey, in my opinion. I would argue that Michter’s really know how to choose their barrels and produce a product that is a joy from start to finish. As you sip there’s is only enjoyment, no intense concentration required to pin down obscure tasting notes, only pure pleasure that makes this a very easy pour to keep on pouring!
Now I am definitely aware of the controversy surrounding the brand name but at the end of the day all I personally care about are two things: great whiskey in the bottle, and decent customer service, both of which Michter’s seems to have in ready supply. Each time I have contacted Michter’s with questions about their products they have always answered promptly and courteously- something other brands are still learning to do it would seem! As for the whiskey, I find it hard to name any other brand where I’ve absolutely loved each offering they’ve put out, not to mention they seem to have a whiskey style for whatever takes your fancy be it rye, american whiskey or bourbon! My advice on this bourbon, and the brand as a whole, is that you can always rest assured that when you pick up a bottle of Michter’s you almost always have a decent whiskey in your hand.
Buy or try? Unfortunately this bottle never comes cheap so if you find one and are wondering if you should take the leap I’d say do it! Otherwise I would highly recommend you seek out a pour of this at your local watering hole.
bourbonpaddy.com 