Michter's 10 Year Single Barrel Rye

I need to mention I'm not really into rye whiskey, but this bottling stands out as my top pick among those I've sampled. My initial hesitation stemmed from not being overly impressed with the Michter's 10 year bourbon, even though I've enjoyed other offerings from them. Nose: Presents with some of the grassy, herbal characteristics I typically find in rye, along with sweet undertones, barrel char, wood smoke, and toasted almonds. Palate: Features spicy notes, leather, additional toasted nuts, a subtle background of sweet caramelized sugar, herbal elements, and a pleasant, rich mouthfeel that I found appealing. Finish: Delivers a potent spicy rye kick complemented by profound dark notes, such as dark chocolate and agreeable bitter wood flavors reminiscent of coffee. It concludes with a lengthy, spicy finish that I thoroughly appreciated. This has been my preferred rye whiskey so far, and were it not for its steep price and scarcity, I'd consider purchasing it.

A deep, reddish-copper hue. The aroma is exceptionally welcoming, evoking mulled wine with notes of toasted cinnamon, candied orange zest, red grapes, cherry candies, whole cloves, and a hint of chocolate mint. It has a full-bodied texture and tastes stronger than its stated proof. The initial taste is of slightly tannic oak, which quickly gives way to cinnamon, clove, cherry cola, white pepper, and leather, accented by hints of spearmint and anise. The medium-long finish is dry and mildly tannic, featuring abundant baking spice, leather, cocoa powder, and oak. Remarkably consistent and balanced from aroma to finish.

Nose- Strong vanilla, cherry, orange zest, wood spice, lavender oil, dark fruits Palate- Initial baking spices, chocolate-covered oranges, caramelized sugar, mint, oak Finish- Long, delicate finish with notes of baking spices, herbal mint, and vanilla This spirit is excellent. It's perfectly balanced, similar to a specific bourbon from the same producer. I could easily drink this daily. It has wonderful notes of baking spices, herbal mint, and vanilla. The vanilla is noticeable throughout the entire experience and is one of the most prominent vanilla aromas I've encountered.

The aroma is much more appealing than the taste, which is somewhat disappointing in the end. Nose: caramel, maple syrup, nutmeg, and a cereal reminiscent of French toast crunch, almost artificial. Taste: Too light and mild overall. Primarily just a hint of rye spice, cocoa powder, brown sugar. I'm really stretching to find anything else descriptive. It's smooth but uninteresting. Ultimately, nothing about this makes me want to revisit it. Calling it overrated is an understatement.

Abundant butterscotch on the nose. I could appreciate that aroma for a long time. It's very rich and full. The butterscotch flavor carries through to the palate, where the rye notes also emerge. The finish is a bit thin, but it has a pleasant spice and is nicely aromatic. While I gave it the same score, I favor this one slightly over the 10-year bourbon.

2023 Nose - Abundant cherry and rye spice. Mint appears along with deep oak and light leather. Palate - Lots of rye, but it's good; light honey and light cherry accompany the herbal notes. Some bubble gum flavors are present. Finish - The finish is pleasant and light, with more herbal vanilla and bubble gum notes emerging.