Michter’s 2021 Barrel Strength Rye Review
Michter’s Distillery located in Louisville, Kentucky is known for creating some of the oldest, and most sought-after bourbons on the planet. Their 20- and 25-year expressions routinely trade hands for thousands of dollars and are sold in extremely limited quantities. But even their core range is hard to find as Michter’s has kept production limited since it began distilling its own whiskies in 2015. Prior to that it exclusively used sourced whiskies and bottled them under the Michter’s brand name.
Michter’s core range includes:
· Michter’s American Whiskey
· Michter’s Kentucky Straight Rye
· Michter’s Sour Mash Whiskey
· Michter’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon
But that’s only part of the story. As Michter’s is known for doing a lot of special editions and limited bottlings. These include the aforementioned 20- and 25-year expressions, a few toasted barrel versions, 10-year bourbon and rye expressions, bottlings under the Shenks and Bombergers names, and single barrel cask strength bottlings like this one – a 2021 Barrel Strength version of their Single Barrel Rye.
The single barrel expressions that are bottled at barrel strength are some of the most sought after due to their extremely limited nature. Michter’s is known to wait years between releases, with the last Barrel Strength Rye being released back in 2019. But interestingly, barrel strength at Michter’s tends to clock in at a lower ABV than many of its Kentucky counterparts due to its lower barrel entry proof. Unlike the industry average of closer to 125 proof, Michter’s instead puts their whiskey into barrels at 103 proof, making the final product a bit lower in proof - but according to Michter’s – this lower entry proof creates a better and more enjoyable whiskey.
I recently found a couple bottles of the 2021 Barrel Strength Rye sitting at a local Vons grocery store and jumped at the opportunity to try this at retail price. This is a release that was only announced a few weeks ago, so this may be one of the first reviews of the 2021 edition out in the wild. This comes from barrel 21B440 and clocks in at 108.8 proof. This whiskey just recently launched this month, so I am excited to jump in and see what all the fuss is about!
Age: Non-Age Stated
ABV: 54.4%
Cask: Virgin Oak Casks
MSRP: $100
Distillery Name: Michter’s Distillery
Review Date: 3/9/21
Color: Dark Caramel
Nose: The nose starts out softer than you’d expect for the proof but quickly gains steam. Notes of cool mint, sweetness, barrel char, and an undercurrent of rye spice are all present. More herbal notes like Thai basil and green tea appear as the whiskey opens up in the glass with a light puff of BBQ smoke. Reminds me of a marshmallow that has sit a little too long in front of the fire. A complex and interesting nose.
Palate: Where the nose starts off slow, the palate hits hard right off the bat. This is a bold, flavorful whiskey, with a hot, spicy character that demands your attention. Quickly you realize that this isn’t an easy sipper for a laid-back summer evening. Instead, Michter’s 2021 Barrel Strength Rye starts with a heap of rye spice, a dash of Hot Tamales, and a dollop of vanilla sweetness. As the whiskey coats your mouth, more of the traditional rye flavors of spearmint, herbs, and oak. There’s a bit of salted caramel thrown in as well. The sweetness mixes well with the rye spice, creating a full-bodied whiskey with an excellent mouthfeel that drinks every bit of its proof, if not a bit hotter. Imagine taking a big bite of a Nashville hot chicken sandwich and you can start to imagine how this one hit me. It settles down a bit with time in the glass, but never fully cools off.
Finish: Long finish that is filled with oak and spice. The wood notes introduced in the palate really come into their own on the finish. The finish is tremendously warming and lasts much longer than many others at a similar proof (even longer than Pikesville from what I remember). It’s a dry finish with notes of barrel spice, chili paste, more cinnamon, and freshly cracked pepper.
Final Thoughts: This is an excellent whiskey. While I have never experienced the previous iterations of Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (remember these don’t come out every year), this is an extremely well executed rye whiskey. And it comes as a bit of a shock – I have always considered Michter’s on the softer and gentler side of Kentucky whiskey with its lower entry proof and lower proofed expressions. But this barrel proof rye came to play. It’s bold and in your face, with a complex nose, a great mouthfeel, and a long oaky and spicy finish. Not sure I would pay much more than retail on this bottling as rye isn’t my go-to whiskey, but if you are a big rye fan, this is absolutely one to seek out.
