For die-hard fans of American whiskey, the annual arrival of the Michter’s 10 y.o. Single Barrel Rye and Single Barrel Bourbon whiskies is always one of the biggest highlights of the calendar. This year, the excitement was compounded when just months after the releases hit the market, Michter’s achieved an unprecedented milestone: being named the World’s Most Admired Whiskey by Drinks International for the third consecutive year in August 2025. It’s an honour that serves as a powerful testament to the quality within these bottles, whiskies that have long enjoyed a cult-like following for hiding some of the best distillate in elegant but simplistic packaging.
As is tradition with these age-stated expressions, it doesn’t take more than a single pass to realise that the whiskey inside clearly surpasses the 10 y.o. minimum age by a large margin. While Michter’s maintains its policy of only confirming that the age statement on the label is the lowest age the barrel could be, never the maximum, the deep richness of the 2025 releases certainly lends credence to the persistent industry rumours of much older stock.
The first of the annual limited releases to be announced was the Michter’s 10 y.o. Bourbon in March of 2025. This Kentucky Straight Bourbon was drawn from a single barrel and bottled at no younger than 10 y.o. old, coming in at 94.4 Proof (47.2% ABV). Commenting on this release, Michter’s Master Distiller Dan McKee observed: “The richness and complexity of this whiskey continues to provide such a robust experience that is amazingly flavourful for a bourbon that isn’t north of 100 proof.” Michter’s Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson added that the bottling was “again overaged beyond 10 years,” and that it “opens with a very inviting nose and draws you in like a good movie with its character development and complexity.”
News of the 10 y.o. Rye soon followed in May of 2025. Similar to the bourbon, this was a straight Kentucky Rye whiskey from a single barrel, bottled at a minimum of 10 y.o. old and at 92.8 Proof (46.4% ABV). On the rye’s unique profile, Wilson observed: “One of Michter’s defining characteristics for our rye whiskey is the balance of the beautiful baking spice with fresh citrus and floral underpinned by notes of vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and sweet oak.” Master Distiller McKee simply added, “As someone who enjoys rye, I was excited to taste the barrels for this year’s release. The flavour profile is exceptional.”
The 2025 releases carried a US MSRP of $195 for the 10 y.o. Bourbon, and $210 for the 10 y.o. Rye. This premium pricing is typically reflective of the additional costs involved in producing single-barrel whiskies at scale and any additional ageing past the 10 y.o. mark that these whiskies might have completed (thank the barrel taxes). Today we’re taking a deep look at these two coveted whiskies side-by-side because, like many enthusiasts, I have often had to choose between either the rich depth of the bourbon or the sophisticated spice of the rye—let’s taste!
Michter’s 10 y.o. Single Barrel Rye
Barrel #: 25C1056 – 46.4% ABV / 92.8 Proof – Single Barrel KY Straight Rye
Tasting Notes
Nose: A perfumed explosion of stewed red and black stone fruits combines with dark caramel, deep minty rye, and subtle toasted oak. As you nose deeper, there’s a distinct maraschino cocktail cherries note wrapped in sweet grassy rye, brown sugar, dry white pepper and the sweet red cinnamon note that defines Michter’s house style for their rye whiskies.
Palate: Viscous and mint-forward, beginning with dark caramel-stewed red and black stone fruits, dusted in white pepper, cinnamon, and earthy baking spice. This quickly opens into an endless, dark green herbaceous depth, edged by rich dark chocolate, and faintly tannic charred oak adding heat to the mid-palate.
Finish: Beautiful lingering peppery heat opens to herbaceous rye, dried red and black fruits, and dark chocolate, leading into a long, layered aftertaste of mint, rye, cinnamon, and dried fruits.
Conclusion
The 2025 Michter’s 10 y.o. Rye is another decadent release that showcases exactly why this whiskey has such a devoted following. From the first sip, the rye grain shines through with classic white pepper and cinnamon, framed by rich fruit, warm baking spice, and a deeper herbaceous character. Even though it is single barrel and bottled below cask strength, nothing feels missing and the profile is complete, expressive, and clearly the result of meticulous barrel selection. It is mature, layered, and unmistakably true to the Michter’s Kentucky Rye style, with a quality that sets it apart from anything else on the shelf.
What makes this release particularly engaging is how dynamic it feels in the glass. The nose shifts and evolves as you drink, moving from sweet to savoury before settling somewhere beautifully in between. That constant interplay keeps the experience lively and luxurious, rewarding you with new subtle flavours each time you return to the glass.
Compared to the 2024 release, this year’s bottling leans more into fruit and milk chocolate, with a touch more vibrancy on the palate. The heat builds gradually, rising along the sides of the tongue before settling into a darker cinnamon note and a snug Kentucky hug. The minty grassiness that often defines the Michter’s house style is more subdued, allowing the richer flavours to take centre stage. My 2024 barrel appeared darker in the glass, but the 2025 release makes up for that with vigour and drive. It does not hold back, and it rewards your attention with every sip.
Michter’s 10 y.o. Single Barrel Bourbon
Barrel #: L25B0366 – 47.2% ABV / 94.4 Proof – Single Barrel KY Straight Bourbon
Tasting Notes
Nose: A complex and inviting aroma. Dark caramels and ripe black cherries lead the way, followed closely by subtle dark herbaceous rye. As you nose deeper, the fruits and caramel deepen further, gaining a perfume-like character supported by earthy baking spices and a minty charred oak that adds extra depth.
Palate: Opens incredibly thick and flavourful. Dark chocolate, rich dark caramels, richly faintly tart red fruits, and a bold cinnamon-forward rye spice hit first. As it develops, a minty edge and creamy vanilla emerge from the oak, blending with deep caramel, zesty orange peel, and black cherry to create a palate that’s dark, brooding, and full of warming character.
Finish: Long and warming. That classic Kentucky hug is followed by minty charred oak, dried red fruits, and lingering notes of baking spice, dark chocolate, dry earthy nuts, and mint.
Conclusion
This is immediately recognisable as Michter’s; rich, layered, and unmistakably premium, drinking significantly older than its age statement suggests. The barrel influence is mature, refined, and unusually pronounced. This is a bold, dark whiskey, the kind of luxurious pour you open for a special celebration. Compared to the 2024, this 2025 barrel feels older and more mature, leaning heavier into the dark charred oak tannins, cedar, and rye-driven heat. It broods, it floods the palate with flavour, and it gives clear indicators of being serious, well-aged whiskey, easily feeling like a 15 or 16-year-old expression.
Overall
These 2025 releases of Michter’s 10 y.o. whiskies are prime examples of why their limited-release bottles remain so highly regarded, awarded, and sought-after. Like two sides of a coin, the Rye is lively and full of near-floral display of juicy rye flavours, balanced by mint and a touch of char, whereas this year’s Bourbon commands serious attention with its broody and delicious profile rounded out by that complex and rich experience you only get from seriously mature whiskey, clearly marking it out as the older of the two.
This is another reminder that these whiskies are confirmed to be much older than their age statements suggest, and therefore hiding liquid that has seen far more than a decade in oak. Add into the equation that their release was fresh off the back of their third consecutive win as the World’s Most Admired Whiskey, the team no doubt pulled extra special stocks for this celebratory release. Of course, it is difficult to confirm this, because in truth Michter’s whiskies have continued to improve year on year, and in the seven years I have been following these 10 y.o. releases, the quality has never dipped. This consistency is a testament to the hard work and dedication of Michter’s team, and the never-ending accolades they receive are merely a global recognition of this hard work. Looking back at how far the brand has come, from a resurrection project to an industry leader, it is clear that Michter’s is a brand that requires serious attention from anyone who is either starting out or already considers themselves a seasoned bourbon or rye whiskey drinker. Now with their third win under their belt, I already can’t wait to see what they’re going to release next year!
Try or Buy: The 2025 Michter’s 10 y.o. Bourbon carried a US MSRP of $195, while the 10 y.o. Rye was priced at $210. These figures place both firmly in the premium category, and for many drinkers, that level of investment requires justification. In this case, the justification is in the glass. The Bourbon delivers brooding maturity and depth that feel well beyond its age statement, while the Rye offers vibrancy, layered complexity, and a dynamic profile that rewards repeat pours. Having tasted these releases, it is difficult to argue that they are not worth what Michter’s asks. For those who value consistency, craftsmanship, and whiskey that feels genuinely special, both bottles represent strong value despite their higher price point.
About Michter’s
With strong ties to a distilling legacy spanning over 250 years, the Michter’s Distillery in Louisville, KY, stands as one of the most respected names in American whiskey. Since its revival in the 1990s by Company President Joseph Magliocco, Michter’s has built a reputation for producing a diverse portfolio of high-quality whiskies that honour tradition whilst simultaneously embracing cutting-edge innovation.
Distilling in their own facilities since August of 2015, the Michter’s brand has seen a quick return to global recognition for the quality of both their own and their sourced whiskies under Master Distiller Dan McKee, Master Distiller Emeritus Pam Heilmann – the first woman to serve as a Master Distiller at a Kentucky Distiller’s Association distillery since prohibition, and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson – the first woman to ever serve as Chair of the Kentucky Distillers Association and inductee to the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame®. In addition to their Shively distillery, Michter’s also operates a historic distillation site in downtown Louisville, KY, a dedicated maturation and bottling facility, and a farm where they conduct grain and barrel research, with each site playing a role in their continued commitment to quality and innovation. Their commitment to excellence has earned Michter’s global acclaim and in a recent historic achievement, the distillery was named World’s Most Admired Whiskey by Drinks International for three consecutive years (2023, 2024, and 2025), becoming the first American distillery ever to win the title, the first distillery to win it three times, and the first to do so back-to-back. This recognition again confirms Michter’s rightful place among the elite producers of whiskey worldwide and rests on the shoulders of their existing accolades and achievements both in the US and internationally.
The Michter’s core range of whiskies, which are bottled under their popular US☆1 line, consists of their small batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon, their single-barrel Kentucky Straight Rye, their small batch Unblended American Whiskey, their small batch Original Sour Mash American Whiskey, and several limited edition variations of these. Their age–stated whiskies, which are bottled under their 10-year-old, 20-year-old, and 25-year-old labels consist of straight Kentucky bourbon and rye whiskey which come from sourced stocks and are released on a ‘when-ready’ basis to eager fans.
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