Michter's American Whiskey Small Batch

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 41.7% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Previously used whiskey casks shape Michter's US★1 Unblended American Whiskey. It matures in American white oak casks that previously held whiskey, rather than exclusively in new oak casks as bourbon does. Here, the term Unblended means that no neutral grain spirit is added; it does not denote a single-cask bottling.

For its small batch whiskeys, Michter's uses specially sized equipment that can hold no more than the contents of twenty full casks. This makes the selection of each individual whiskey crucial to the blend. The American Whiskey is distilled in Kentucky and bottled at 41.7%. The bottle contains 0.7 litres.

Creamy caramel and vanilla are the main flavours, with subtler accents of caramel and dried fruit. Ripe fruit shapes the finish. This whiskey returned to the market in late 2013 after an absence of almost three years, following the decision to release it by the then Master Distiller Willie Pratt.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, pronounced sweetness recalls fruit sweets. Subtle peach notes, charred cask wood and a delicate buttery note accompany it. Cinnamon and nutmeg join a hint of menthol and candied orange peel.
• Palate: The whiskey feels smooth on the palate. Sweet spices and gentle fruitiness form a balanced combination, with spice taking the lead. Charred cask wood, leather and tobacco sit alongside toffee and creamy caramel.
• Finish: The sweet spice gradually fades in the balanced finish. Ripe fruit adds to the lingering flavours.

Distillery/Bottler:

Michter's historical roots lie in Pennsylvania: in 1753, the Swiss Mennonite John Shenk founded a distillery in Schaefferstown that initially produced rye whiskey. Under Abraham Bomberger, it became known as Bomberger's in the 19th century. The Michter's brand name was not created until the 1950s, when Lou Forman combined parts of the names of his sons Michael and Peter.

Following the company's bankruptcy in 1989, Joseph J. Magliocco and Richard Newman revived the brand in the 1990s. They chose Kentucky to draw on its expertise and infrastructure for American whiskey. Today, Michter's includes the distillery in Shively, the Fort Nelson Building in Louisville and farmland in Springfield. Its present-day production in Kentucky is therefore distinct from the historic distillery in Pennsylvania.

Michter's production methods include heated warehouses: in winter, they are warmed and then allowed to cool naturally again. These additional temperature changes encourage interaction between the whiskey and the cask wood. Filtration is also tailored rather than applied uniformly across the range; Michter's selects filter media and methods to suit each bottling. Master Distiller Dan McKee and the tasting team jointly decide when to release the US★1 whiskeys.

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