Michter’s 10-Year-Old Rye Whiskey (2017) Review

There’s something special about a rye whiskey with a little age.  I’m not a giant fan of really young rye.  Two or three year old rye whiskies are best for cocktails, in my opinion.  At around the six year mark, things start to get interesting.  The young “green” note is no longer present, as the spirit has had some time to round out its edges.  Though the sharp notes are mostly gone, the rye grain still brings that zesty spicy quality I look for in this type of whiskey.  After a decade in the barrel, some rye whiskies, like this expression from Michter’s, can put you under a magic spell.  The spirit mellows out and intimately intermingles with everything the American Oak barrel it ages in brings to the table – baking spices, vanilla and caramel.

This release of Michter’s 10-year-rye whiskey marks the first special release from their new Master Distiller Pamela Heilmann.  If you’ve read Fred Minnick’s beautifully written “Whiskey Women,” you’ll know women played an important role in the whiskey world. Whiskey is still mainly a male-dominated industry, so it’s refreshing that Michter’s has promoted Heilmann as their Master Distiller.  She previously ran the Booker Noe distillery for seven years before joining the Michter’s team.

The whiskey itself is a single barrel rye bottled at 92.8 proof.  My sample came from barrel 17A37.  It goes through one of Michter’s filtration processes before being bottled.  The suggested retail price is $150.  Michter’s 2016 release of their 10-year-old rye whiskey was one of my favorites of the year.  How does the 2017 release fare?

Wonderful aromas of figs, baking spices, brown sugar, and toasted rye bread fill the nose.  On the palate, this whiskey is mouthcoating.  An initial caramel sweetness is tempered by some rye spice, followed by hints of Madagascar vanilla bean, dark brown sugar, licorice and tobacco leaf.  Slight oak tannins creep in during the medium-length finish, along with cinnamon candy and caramel.

From first sniff, I knew I’d like this whiskey.  It’s beautifully matured and delivers an aromatic nose and rich flavors you can only get from a well-aged rye whiskey.  Highly recommended. 9/10

Thanks to Michter’s for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cocktails for Your Oscar Party

For those of you watching this year’s Academy Awards, here are a few cocktail recipes featuring Hilhaven Lodge Whiskey.   These same cocktails will be featured at this year’s Governors Ball after party.  You can now bring a little of Hollywood’s biggest night to your home, thanks to mixologist Charles Joly.

Hilhaven Lodge Whiskey is named after the famous Hollywood Estate now owned by director/producer Brett Ratner. Ratner helped develop this whiskey, which is a blend of bourbon, rye, and Tennessee whiskey.  

THE HILHAVEN LODGE OLD FASHIONED 


1.5 oz. The Hilhaven Lodge Blended Straight American Whiskey

0.5 oz. Demerara Simple Syrup

1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters

1 Orange Peel

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, mist with orange oil and place twist decoratively.

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED


1.5 oz. The Hilhaven Lodge Blended Straight American Whiskey

0.75 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

0.5 oz. Bourbon Vanilla Chai Tea Syrup

1 oz. Dandelion Burdock Root Soda

Combine The Hilhaven Lodge with tea syrup and lemon juice. Shake gently. Roll in dandelion and burdock soda. Pour into Collins glass over large cubes. Garnish with dehydrated lemon wheels.

THE LODGE


1.5 oz. The Hilhaven Lodge Blended Straight American Whiskey

0.3 oz. Punt e Mes Sweet Vermouth

0.3 oz. East India Sherry

3 drops Chocolate Bitters

 Combine The Hilhaven Lodge whiskey with vermouth, sherry and bitters. Stir to chill and dilute. Pour over large cube into an Old Fashioned glass. Mist with orange oil and garnish with fresh rosemary.

CÎROC FRENCH 75


1.5 oz. Cîroc Vodka

0.75 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

0.5 oz. Simple Syrup

Splash of Champagne

 Combine Cîroc, lemon juice and simple syrup in cocktail shaker over ice. Shake gently. Roll in champagne and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Mist cocktail with lemon oil and garnish with a twist.

Photos courtesy of Diageo.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (Batch A117) Bourbon Review

Image courtesy of Heaven Hill


Barrel strength whiskey is something I always look forward to tasting.  Even though many are batched together (versus a single barrel release), it’s like tasting straight from the barrel.  No dilution is taking place before bottling.  The robust quality from these bottlings is something you don’t get from a standard whiskey release.

One of my favorites is Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (ECBP) from Heaven Hill Distillery.  This 12-year-old batched bourbon is offered several times a year.  Starting with this first batch of 2017, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is introducing batch numbers (sort of like Booker’s has been doing the past couple of years).  It was a fantastic idea for Booker’s, and I’m sure ECBP will experience some success from it.

The batch code breaks down like this: The first letter signifies the release batch of the year, while the numbers indicate the month and year of release.  So, A117 = the first batch of the year, released in January 2017.  The new batch numbering system will make it easier to track down which batch is which.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof batch A117 comes in at 127 proof.  While not the strongest batch I’ve seen by any stretch, 127 is still a high proof.  Let’s get to the tasting notes.

Dark brown sugar and molasses burst out of the glass, alongside touches of anise, vanilla and oak.  On the palate, this oily whiskey features hints of caramel corn, vanilla, tobacco leaf, and oak spices.  A splash of water brings out more oak.  The long finish warms the chest (perfect for winter), leaving behind lingering spiced caramel and slightly drying oak.

To this day, I haven’t run across a bad batch of ECBP.  I’m happy to report the streak continues.  Batch A117 might be a bit lower in proof than previous batches, but it’s just as complex and full of flavor as anything that’s come before it.  Nicely done.  8.5/10

Thanks to Heaven Hill for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.