Michter’s Original Sour Mash Whiskey is one of the great American whiskey comeback stories. During the 1970s and 1980s it was the distillery’s single most popular product — then it disappeared from the market in 1989 when the original distillery closed. After 23 years of absence, it made a triumphant return in...Show More >
Michter’s Original Sour Mash Whiskey is one of the great American whiskey comeback stories. During the 1970s and 1980s it was the distillery’s single most popular product — then it disappeared from the market in 1989 when the original distillery closed. After 23 years of absence, it made a triumphant return in 2012 as part of the U.S.*1 small-batch line, and whiskey enthusiasts have never looked back. Unlike bourbon or rye, Michter’s Sour Mash occupies its own category: a unique grain selection and the traditional sour mash process — where previously fermented mash acts as a starter for the new fermentation, much like sourdough bread — produce a whiskey of singular character that defies easy classification. The Tasting Panel awarded it 97 points. Wine Enthusiast gave it 93. At under $50, it is one of the most compelling values in American whiskey.
The nose is a showstopper: cherry, toasty vanilla biscuit, and warm burnt sugar. On the palate, a generous stream of flavors unfolds — egg cream, maple syrup, burnt orange peel, cinnamon, gingerbread, ripe peach, and sandalwood — with a long, mellow finish of vanilla, oak, and a faint cherry essence that lingers beautifully. Smooth, buttery, and deeply satisfying.
Tasting Panel 97 — “This uncommon small-batch 86-proof spirit introduces itself with a showstopping perfume of cherry and toasty vanilla biscuit. A stream of flavors ensues, from egg cream to maple syrup, burnt orange peel, and cinnamon.”
Wine Enthusiast 93 — “Resurrected after 23 years, this smooth, buttery American whiskey is worth the wait… a faint cherry essence on the long finish that seems to urge, ‘stir up a few Manhattans already.’”
Producer: Michter’s Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Expression: U.S.*1 Original Sour Mash Whiskey
Style: American Sour Mash Whiskey — small batch, 86 proof (43% ABV)
