Single Barrel

Review: Michter’s 10-Year-Old Bourbon (2023)

This review’s a little late, but better late than never! Earlier this year, Michter’s has once again released one of my favorites of their whiskies – the venerable 10-year-old single barrel bourbon.

My sample bottle provided by Micther’s comes from barrel #23A0276. It’s bottled at 47.2% abv, or 94.4 proof. Over the past couple of years, I’ve found myself reaching for barrel proof offerings less. I find whiskies aged between 8-10 years and bottled at between 90-100 proof my current sweet spot. This expression certainly ticks all boxes.

On the nose, hints of cinnamon roll, nutmeg, and vanilla show at first. A little airtime reveals lovely oak spice. Things feel rich on the palate. Maple syrup kicks things off, with waves of brown sugar and spice washing over the palate. A touch of oak tannins on the back of the palate lead to a medium-length finish.

No surprises here. What’s lovely about these single barrel offerings from Michter’s is the level of consistency from release to release. I find much less variation with this brand than others. That’s not a bad thing, just an observation. That said, this 2023 release keeps the flavor profile of their 10-year-old bourbon very well. Love the waves of brown sugar sweetness combined with baking spices. Makes for an extremely balanced whiskey. Highly recommended!

$185 | michters.com

REVIEW: WhistlePig “NOBF 2020: The Deuce” Single Barrel Rye

We’re a few short months away from the 2020 New Orleans Bourbon Festival (NOBF), but that hasn’t stopped founders Barbara Hirsch-Napolitano and Tracy Napolitano from visiting the country’s distilleries to pick barrels. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.

I’ve had the pleasure of joining Barbara and Tracy for NOBF barrel picks before, and was actually scheduled to visit WhistlePig distillery for this one. However, my clumsy ass badly sprained my ankle just two weeks before the visit, tearing a ligament in the process. Talk about bad timing. So it was with great anticipation I awaited this release – the fruits of their labors.

WhistlePig “The Deuce” is about 12 and a half years old, bottled at 119.6 proof. It’s 100% rye distilled in Canada and aged in Vermont. I’m a big fan of WhistlePig’s standard 10-year-old bottling. It’s a big, satisfying rye whiskey. “The Deuce” takes that standard profile and cranks it up a notch or two.

The nose carries lots of butterscotch alongside hints of rye spice, vanilla, and cardamom. Sweet cane syrup hits the palate first, soon followed by waves of spiced caramel and juicy red fruit. Rye spice slowly ramps up and makes headway in the mid-to-back palate. A touch of toasted oak appears just before the long, warming finish. Vermont hugs are just as warming and welcoming as Kentucky hugs.

Not only is WhistlePig my favorite release from the brand, it’s also my favorite New Orleans Bourbon Festival barrel pick. The rye whiskey is big and bold, sweet and spicy, and has just enough flavor components in-between. It’s complex, but more importantly it’s tasty as hell. You can pick up this bottle for about $75 in high-end New Orleans-area retail shops. I think I’d better grab a second bottle. Totally worth it.

Review: Michter’s 10-Year-Old Bourbon (Spring 2019)

Spring generally means the release of one of my favorite bourbons – Michter’s 10-year-old. This limited release 2019 bottling is the last under the supervision of Master Distiller Pamela Heilmann, who is now retired as of this post. I think Pamela Heilmann has overseen some fantastic releases over the last few years. Cheers to her!

As for the new team, Michter’s Distiller Dan McKee has been promoted to Master Distiller, and Distiller Manager Matt Bell is now Distiller. McKee cut his teeth at Jim Beam, eventually taking on the role as Distillery Supervisor at the Booker Noe Distillery. Bell worked at both Town Branch Distillery and Wild Turkey Distillery.

Onto the whiskey… my sample bottle comes from barrel #190634. It’s bottled at 47.2% ABV, or 94.4 proof. It undergoes Michter’s signature filtration prior to bottling. The suggested retail price is $130.

The nose features a nice mix of classic bourbon notes of caramel, vanilla, orange peel, and oak. Additionally, spiced apples and cigar box join the party. Taste-wise, more of the same: chewy dark caramel, red berries, and vanilla extract meet continuous waves of cinnamon, clove, and allspice. Aromatic oak and herbal notes arrive in the back palate and eventually into the finish, which is long and a bit dry. Lingering notes of oak spice, caramel, and slight barrel char remain.

Ten years is usually my sweet spot in terms of preference of age. If matured properly, the resultant bourbon can be beautifully balanced between both the spirit and barrel influence. This year’s release is certainly well balanced, rich, and complex. One of my favorite bottlings of the last couple of years. 9/10

Michters.com

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