Michter's - Small Batch Sour Mash (750ml)
Price: $54.99
| Producer | Michter's |
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| Country | United States |
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| Region | Kentucky |
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| Style | Whiskey |
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| Sku | 28194 |
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| Size | 750ml |
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Michter's has an interesting history (both old and new). The original distillery was founded in a 1753 and thus earns the distinction as 'America's oldest whiskey company'. John Shenk, a Menonite farmer of Swiss descent, who lived in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, decided to produce whiskey from the excess rye grown in the Blue Mountain Valley (on the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains). Pennsylvania lore suggests that George Washington visited the distillery and "purchased whiskey to fortify his men as they hunkered down in their camp through the long, brutal winter at Valley Forge". Thus, Michter's became "the whiskey that warmed the American Revolution".
The distillery survived until Prohibition, which forced the facility (and most others) to shutter doors. Multiple (and weak) owners followed the passage of the 21st Amendment. The Pennsylvania distillery closed in 1989., and the remaining whiskey was bottled under the Hirsch label.
In the 1990s Joseph Magliocco and Richard Newman teamed up to resurrect Michter's. They moved the operation (actually just the name) to Kentucky (the symbolic center of American Whiskey), and began the process of 'reintroducing' the name to the public.
We have discussed the decision of Michter's to purchase the historic Fort Nelson building in Louisville (2011). They originally budgeted $8 million to rehabilitate the building (but have far exceeded that number), But, they will ultimately house their tasting room in one of the most unique structures on the increasingly popular Bourbon Trail.
Michter's Description
During the 1970s and 1980s, Michter's Original Sour Mash Whiskey was the distillery's single most popular product. While the "Sour Mash" moniker originated from the whiskey production process of the same name - whereby some previously fermented mash is used as the starter for the new mash to be fermented, much like making sourdough bread - Michter's Original Sour Mash earned distinction for its unique taste. With its unique grain selection, it cannot be categorized as a rye or a bourbon. After disappearing from the market in 1989, Michter's Original Sour Mash Whiskey made a triumphant return in 2012 with its introduction into the US1 line. Staying true to the profile and palette of its predecessor, Michter's US1 Sour Mash has quickly become a favorite of whiskey enthusiasts.
Wine Enthusiast: 93 Points
Resurrected after 23 years, this smooth, buttery American whiskey is worth the wait. It has mellow vanilla and oak flavors, with a faint cherry essence on the long finish that seems to urge, “stir up a few Manhattans already.”
