Michter's Single Barrel 10 Year Old Straight Rye Whiskey (700ml)

"Packing all of the qualities that make an excellent tasting rye, Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Rye should rightfully be called the king of rye whiskeys." - breakingbourbon.com

There are three tiers in the Michter's range - which is a little confusing at first. The "US*1" expressions are the entry level expressions, so named to honor Michter’s heritage harkening back to America’s first whiskey company. Washington and his troops drank Michter’s while they were hunkered down in Valley Forge. Then come the age statements, 10-20 years, and finally, there's a selection of ultra-aged 25 year old+ super limited bottlings. Those who have followed this brand for longer than we have should also note one further clarification with regard to the provenance of the current bottlings. Joshua Feldman from www.cooperedtot.com explains:-

"I love Michter's. But which Michter's? There are two. There is what we'll call "old Michter's" the Pennsylvania distillery in Schaefferstown that people known as Michter's - and which marketed itself as Michter's but was actually named Pennco for most of the recent past and Bomberger's Distillery before that. That distillery has been closed since 1990. It is most famous for one particular 1974 contract run of Bourbon made for a guy named Hirsch and aged for a heck of a long time.

Meanwhile, there is a brand of Bourbon, whiskey, and rye sold in many stores called Michter's which is made by an unrelated company... We'll call that "new Michter's". New Michter's has extensive distribution for a company producing small quantities - and an excellent reputation for quality offerings at the high end of their line. You frequently see particular issues highly sought after in the Bourbon enthusiast community".

Tasting note: [Lot L14B96 tasted] Deep polished copper colour. Heavy and compelling opening aromas of apple strudel and vanilla with a ginger and herbal tea edge. Unravels slowly over 3-4 minutes, coaxing out rock lolly and hints of menthol, followed by rye bread and dilute honey in the final pass. All the elements of its younger sibling are here, only extra time has mellowed the spices in a beautiful way. Unfolding dried apple and cinnamon flavours with a honey accent on the finish carried by mild tannins in the fade, this goes long. A rye classic that's delivered with a soft touch. Bound to impress. 46.4% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... Doesn't possess the obvious rye-rich traits of their barrel 19H1321, but the whole works far, far better. 96 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2023

...The first aromas are strong, nutty, and mocha-like; further sniffings pick up deep-seeded scents of walnut, new leather, flax-fiber and soft cheese. The sweet and honeyed flavor profile bursts onto the tongue in the entry stage, then turns drier, grape seed-like, and woodier at midpalate. Ends up incredibly honeyed. A tour-de-force rye whiskey that delivers at every level. — (6/1/2005) 96-100 points

...When people tell us they don’t like drinking rye whiskeys, we often respond with, “You’re not drinking the right ones.”  Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Rye is about as good as they currently come. You wouldn’t necessarily expect that, given it's a sourced product and only aged 10 years, when the majority of the most legendary ryes are much older. Being a sourced Kentucky rye, the main question isn’t, “Who’s making it?” but, "Why aren’t they releasing it themselves?” There are only a few truly transformative ryes released in a given year, and Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Rye tends to get criminally overlooked. With an impeccable nose, polished palate, and a finish that takes its oakiness full on, Michter’s 10 Year Rye is in a small group of the best ryes on the market. That shouldn’t necessarily be a surprise, given how well their ryes are in all of their various forms. Whether they are from the same source or not, Michter’s knows rye perhaps better than only one else - perhaps even more than who they source them from. Otherwise, why wouldn’t that company release it themselves? Even with an oak-forward finish and a $200 asking price, Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Rye’s is an impeccable rye that everyone should seek out. - breakingbourbon.com