Review #: 449
Description: Michter’s Unblended American Whiskey
Spirit: American Whiskey
Background: Michter’s claims to be America’s First Whiskey Company when John and Michael Shenk began distilling Rye in Pennsylvania in 1753. The name is now part of a series of 3 locations in Kentucky producing whiskey, with the Ft. Nelson facility on Whiskey Row in Louisville being where you can tour and taste. The Unblended American Whiskey is not a bourbon, even though it uses their standard bourbon mashbill of majority corn, they age it in used barrels, preventing it from being labeled bourbon. Michter’s seems to have a pretty solid following, so let’s see if it is worth it.
Distillery – Undisclosed
Bottler – Michter’s
Brand – Michter’s
Selection – N/A
ABV – 41.7%
Age – NAS
Nose – Butterscotch, sweet cherry, chocolate sweetbread that has been toasted, surprising amount of char considering the used nature of the barrels, kind of a sharp tang on it
Taste – Reminds me of the caramel from a bullseye candy (aka, not sweet or rich at all), vanilla extract, burnt toffee. Not a whole lot there.
Finish – Gets a touch bitter and still a decent bit of oak, but it’s not particularly good and flavor runs away rather quickly
Score: 3
Would I buy a bottle? No
Thoughts: Not really that bad and the nose is interesting, but there’s not enough there to warrant a $40 bottle when there are more interesting bourbons available for cheaper. I guess they are going for a bit different product being “American Whiskey” but I don’t quite understand it when people want bourbon so badly. Not sure if it’s marketing or an attempt to recoup costs of barrels by reusing them.