Review #: 96
Description: Michter’s Sour Mash Toasted Barrel Finish
Spirit: American Whiskey
Background: The Michter’s name has ties back to whiskey being made back in the 1700s in Pennsylvania, but now has a small distillery in Louisville and most (if not all?) their products are sourced distillate. Not too much is known about where they are getting the whiskey from, but speculation is from Brown-Forman. Their “Sour Mash” product is not a bourbon, but actually an American Whisky. Despite being aged in new charred oak, it’s mashbill does not contain 51% corn, and no grain makes up 50% anyway. Michter’s also has a series of nearly all their products being finished in a new, charred oak barrel, which is the variation we have here today. “Sour Mash” refers to using back set from a previous run to help with consistency and promote yeast health, which is a pretty common practice in the world of whiskey. This sample was batch 19G1244
Distillery – Undisclosed
Bottler – Michter’s
Brand – Michter’s
Selection – N/A
ABV – 43%
Age – NAS
Nose – Funky wood (like tree bark), lemon, caramel but made with expired cream, musty
Taste – Thin, caramel, charcoal, lemon peel
Finish – Bitter tannins, more sour lemon, almost no burn
Score: 3
Would I buy a bottle? No
Thoughts: I know that sour mash refers to using backset from a previous mash but I swear this stuff tasted sour anyway. I don’t think the toasting process did any favors with this. Very funky and musty but the oak influence is unbalanced. The low proof and heavy influence from the toasted finish just doesn’t jive together. I’d want to try some of the other toasted releases to see if that’s consistent across the line, but I’d hesitate to buy any bottle blind.