Michter's 10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon

This distillery has roots stretching back to the nation's formative years, a period when George Washington led troops fighting for freedom from England. Initially called Bomberger’s, Michter's became known for rye whiskey, a popular spirit back then. Founded in Pennsylvania, legend has it that George Washington himself visited during his journeys to obtain whiskey for his soldiers. The distillery passed through various owners during and after Prohibition, eventually leading to the establishment of Michter's in the 1950s. The Michter's distillery we recognize today operates from three sites. Their product range includes bourbons, ryes, and American whiskey. Michter's holds a reputation for high-quality, consistent whiskey. Through dedicated effort and careful practices, Michter's distillery aims to craft some of the finest whiskies available. The Bourbon Michter's 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon is made in Bardstown, KY. It ages for a minimum of 10 years in toasted American White Oak barrels. This is a yearly single barrel release, which might differ from one year to the next. The mashbill remains secret, but it's bottled at a smooth 94.4 proof (47.2% ABV). Appearance: Light Amber On the nose, you'll find a decadent buttery scent mingled with notes of crème brûlée, toasted pecans, vanilla, caramel, maple syrup, and toffee. The taste is a bit more fiery, featuring hints of allspice and pepper that evolve into caramel, vanilla, toasted wood, candy apple, apple pie, and brown sugar. The finish is lengthy and drawn-out, carrying some spice; notes of toffee, brown sugar, and woodiness persist until the very end. Cost: $120 MSRP/$250 on the secondary market

I now go by a certain character from a popular TV series, as I've sampled the same whiskey he has. This is a highly sought-after bourbon whiskey, quite expensive for any ten-year-old dram, especially a bourbon. Bottled at 47.2% alcohol by volume, it has a black wax seal over the cork. Very sophisticated, in my opinion. The nose initially presents BBQ sauce, strawberry syrup, and prunes. It's much more complex than other bourbons from this distillery. There's a distinct BBQ spice, pepper, and cotton candy. After a second taste, the aroma became a blend of all the preceding notes, plus lemon. On the palate, I get a thick strawberry syrup, followed by an explosion of spice. The second sip delivered more richness and jam-like sweetness. The aftertaste is dominated by syrup and spices, with notes of hay and tobacco. Full spice: salt and pepper. Overall, this is truly fitting for that character's taste. Very balanced, well-made, and elegant. A very good bourbon that deserves all its accolades. Scoring 23 points in every category, this rates a 92 out of 100.

Aroma: sugary butterscotch, brown sugar, vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, notable oak spice, cherry, peanut, slight to moderate alcohol burn. Flavor: butterscotch, pepper, sweet cherry, vanilla, apple, spicy charred oak, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cocoa, noticeable alcohol sting, concluding rather swiftly with pepper, cherry, and oak spice notes. A decent drink on its own, but regrettably too expensive. It possesses all the hallmarks of classic bourbon flavors, yet it feels somewhat lacking in body and has a disappointing finish. I had hoped for a higher rating, and the nose and palate individually would merit it, but the underwhelming mouthfeel and conclusion pull it down just below that mark.

This would get a much better rating if it didn't cost three times as much as some of my preferred spirits. It's very smooth with minimal alcohol burn, featuring prominent cherry/fruit upfront, followed by a strong toasty vanilla finish that lingers exceptionally well. Thirty seconds later, it was still evolving on the palate. Overall, it's a solid, viscous, delicious bourbon. However, apart from the finish, there's nothing particularly special about it, and the high price point reduces it to merely average.

Nose included in a highball. The aroma presents a subtle spice, with caramel and vanilla forming the underlying notes. The taste is of smooth oak. It's sweet, with caramel and vanilla becoming apparent after a few sips. There's also a hint of baking spice present. The finish is quite mild overall, with sweetness emerging. In summary... this is my kind of whiskey. It's impressively smooth, almost dangerously so.

Aroma - vanilla, rum, banana - enjoyable! Taste - Caramel at first, then cherry leading to tobacco smoke, almost peaty on the finish. Moderate proof, can be enjoyed neat. Not very sweet With a cube: It just dilutes all the flavors, likely not enough proof for ice. I liked this, but the tobacco finish isn't my usual preference. Good for certain occasions.