Whisky: Michter’s Original Sour Mash Whiskey
Producer: Chatham Imports
Distillery: Sourced from a Kentucky distillery
Region: Louisville, Kentucky
Whisky Type: American Whiskey
Age: NAS
ABV: 43%
Aged in Cask: New Charred American Oak
Price Range: $$
Michter’s Original Sour Mash is an American Whiskey produced (not made) by Michter’s Distillery, whose roots date back to 1753. It was originally founded as Shenk Distillery and renamed later as Bomberger’s Distillery. Lou Forman gave the distillery its current name when he bought it in 1942 and named it after his two sons Michael and Peter.
The distillery has had its ups and downs. It shut down during prohibition in 1919, and the brand struggled in the 1950s. The Sour Mash version became very popular in the 70s and 80s until it filed for bankruptcy in 1989.
In the 1990s, Joe Magliocco purchased the trademark for just $245 and resurrected the brand and the distillery, moving it from Pennsylvania to Louisville, Kentucky (a.k.a. Fort Nelson distillery), with a beautiful visitor center. The Shively Distillery in Kentucky precedes the one in Fort Nelson and produces Michter’s at a lower capacity.
According to Forbes magazine, “Michter’s is the fourth fastest rising brand in the market, ahead of Booker’s and Basil Hayden. Recently at auction a bottle of Michter’s 20 Year Old bourbon went for $27,500”.
Most of the whiskeys from the brand are produced in small batches and allocated due to the high demand for American Whiskey today. In addition, the brand gets a little help when limited editions take the spotlight in the show “Billions” when hedge fund manager and billionaire Bobby Axelrod and his wealthy friends celebrate a deal.
Check out this video:
The term sour mash is a practice in the American Whiskey industry where the remaining liquid (a.k.a. backset) from the previous distillation gets added to the mash for the next batch to ensure proper yeast growth and consistency in flavor.
I have done some research about whether or not this Sour Mash whiskey is now made in-house and could not find any evidence, so I labeled it in the technical file above as a sourced whiskey.
Tasting Notes for Michter’s Original Sour Mash
The sour mash expression is an American Whiskey. Due to its significant amount of rye and less than 51% corn bourbon, the whiskey does not meet the legal requirements of bourbon. Here are the tasting notes.
Nose: Aromas of marshmallows, oak, leather, vanilla, toffee, cinnamon, and clove.
Palate: Arrival of marshmallows, vanilla, light oak, and baking spices, specifically clove and cinnamon. The nose and the flavors are aligned. The texture is medium-bodied and syrupy.
Finish: Medium. The rye, clove, and pepper linger and make a presence at the end of the experience.
Conclusion: I like Michter’s Sour Mash because it hits all the flavor notes I expect from a classic bourbon with a spicy kick. Adding water accentuates the spicy and bitter notes but does not diminish the experience. Overall, the bourbon is good value for only $50. I highly recommend visiting Fort Nelson’s distillery and enjoying a cocktail in its beautiful and stylish bar. Cheers!
Score: 3.5/5 ⭐
Check more American whiskey reviews here.
