Review #126 Michter's Sour Mash: Bourbon

Score: 8.1 / 10

Distillery: Michter's Distillery

Type: Sour Mash High Rye Bourbon

A little bit less allocated whiskey than its big brother Michter's 10 year, but none the less the Sour Mash is a good find in the store. Re-launched in 2012 after not appearing on shelves since the great bourbon slump.

If you distill and ferment, you can use some of the fermentation in the mash to level out the PH swings and reduce contamination. That's what the sour mash is all about. It can be a lot more work, but it's easier to keep a consistent flavor profile by distilling whiskey this way.

Another twist on this one is that it is a high rye bourbon. Especially considering it being a sour mash. It's truly one of a kind and you are going to have a love or hate relationship with this one.

Whiskey Review:

Nose: Brown sugar, tons of orange / lemon right out of the gates, fresh carrots, rye, cinnamon, nutmeg.

Palate: Still so much orange! More than any bourbon / rye that I can remember. lots of orange, rye, rubbery, leathery / polish, Cinnamon rye, rubbery and tannic with a shoe / polish to finish it off.

Finish: Long finish, very spicy, floral, citrus, leaves lemon on the backend to linger.

Score: 8.1

Scale:

S+ Sensational - The Pinnacle (9.5+)

A - AXEceptional (astounding) (9-9.5)

B - bravo (step aBove average) (8-8.9)

C - competent (7-7.9)

D - disappointing (6-6.9)

F - flush it down the toilet (fail) (5.9 below)

Availability? Uncommon - Rare. I had to win the "opportunity" to purchase this one in a weekly raffle. However, that's a "weekly" raffle. They definitely do pop up if you keep your eyes out.