Review #144 Michter's Barrel Strength Limited Release: Bourbon

Score: 9.0 / 10

Distillery: Michter's Distillery

Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Michter's is very well known for producing some of the best high rye bourbons on the market. Including there actual Rye, go figure. However, the limited releases are quite a step above the small batch that you see in most of the stores around. When you do get the opportunity to purchase, you are looking at something special.

They release only 1 limited edition every year. Each is always a small batch with a unique flavor profile not intended to ever be replicated. Michter's limited edition bourbons have won numerous awards and accolades, including being named "Whisky of the Year" by Whisky Advocate magazine in 2019. They are highly regarded by whiskey critics and connoisseurs for their complexity, depth, and balance.

This y'all is one of those very batches. Cheers!

Whiskey Review:

Nose: Rich caramel meets woodshed sawdust, brown sugar, a sharp rye spice without any ethanol. All of which is complimented by a blast of cherry and cherry cola. Deeper in the glass I pickup some cereal and cinnamon notes. Nose to the bottom of the glass yields angel food cake. Now this is where things get really fun, spinning the whiskey up in the glass and agitating it brings a sweet and savory sensation that takes over all other smells; Honey Baked Ham. It's a savory but honey sweetened scent that is exceptionally unique.

Palate: Cherry and cherry cola transfer over with an explosion of flavor that's nicely carbonated on the palate. Fennel and anise linger beneath more explosive notes like crackling black pepper and blooming cinnamon spice. There's a viscous layer of vanilla and citrus as well that I can sense right in the front of the tongue that hides in the background as well. Taking another sip brings spicy old fashioned in a glass notes showcasing an explosive whiskey with orange rind, maraschino cherry, and Angostura bitters all with an ember of spice and woodiness.

Finish: More cherry cola throughout (surprise?), dry cinnamon, light pepper, seasoned wood, and a touch of black licorice remains. Moderate in length and mildly tannic. Adding a mini ice cube ramps up the caramel in a big way and brings delectable chocolate notes on the nose. Both of these transfer to the palate transforming this pour into a big ol bite of a Milky Way candy bar. Right on the back-end I get canned coffee, half nitro cold brew, half artificial sweetener with an underlying earthiness. The finish now has pockets of tannic areas that taste like a mix of vanilla, wood, and raisin.

Score: 9.0

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)

Notes: Availability? Limited and Rare. This particular hasn't been our absolute favorite, but the general consensus here is as follows. If you have the wallet for it and find it, you buy it no questions asked. This is financial advise. Just the bad kind...