Hannah’s Michter’s Single Barrel Rye Review
Original review written April 13, 2021
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
This is very much an easy sipper with little alcohol burn, but plenty of intrigue all the same. Very happy to have this one in the collection, and looking forward to my next pour. 91/100
VITALS:
– Made In: Louisville, KY, USA
– Distiller: Michter’s Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey; Single Barrel
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: unpublished, but believed to have a high percentage of corn
– Casks: Fire-charred new American white oak barrels
– Barrel Entry Proof: 103
– Chill Filtered
– Barrel No. 21A001
– ABV: 42.4% (84.8 proof)
– Price: $40.95 USD in Idaho
Visit michters.com for more information
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this rye here!
SETTING:
This would be the perfect drink to take on a walk through the woods, the ground covered in pinecones, and the air is crisp and fresh. Michter’s Straight Rye Whiskey will keep your steps light and your breaths full while the forest floor quietly crunches underfoot.
Photo by Bailey Heedick on Unsplash
NOSE:
This smells very reminiscent of a lower proof bourbon on the first inhale, perhaps with a greater degree of floral elements. This makes the first draws seem quite bright and fresh, but there is a light vanilla and light syrup that lingers just behind the flowers. I can also detect a dulled sweetness, like a canned fruit, as well as a light brown sugar. There is a musty leather or old-book-esque quality that mingles with barely toasted oak and roasted corn to create a very earthy, but mild tone. Naturally, at such a low proof, there is next to no alcohol sting for the experienced whiskey drinker, but it does smell warm and quite inviting.
PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: There is a raspy quality, like the finest sandpaper with little abrasiveness, but it is there just enough to keep things interesting.
– Balance: Solid. I think the vibrancy of the whole sip makes every flavor seem elevated and equal all at once.
– Visual: Carrot in color, the crown is very impressive with clinging droplets just hanging underneath the crown like Christmas lights.
– Taste: Very light and refreshing on the first sip, with earthy components like lemongrass and other grasses popping first. There is a hint of fresh mint leaves, rye on the front of the sip and granny smith apples that kick in with tartness at the very back of the sip. The mix of mint and rye makes for a tickle, or perhaps it is a raspy quality as it passes across the palate.
The fruit isn’t limited to the granny smith apples, as I do also find the canned fruit element that was noted on the nose. It’s certainly a light fruit – maybe pear, or the green grapes you’d find in a fruit cup. This seems less oaky in its wood flavors and resembles pine a bit more closely, maybe even a straight up pinecone with a touch of bitterness, but again – very fresh.
Very little burn in the way of alcohol, but in reality, it doesn’t actually lack anything because of its proof. It stands on its own quite well with faint tickles and easy sweetness. I can hold it on my palate for quite a while without issue, and the burn at the end of the sip only carries a hint of heat. A Kentucky chew makes the apples a bit more bold and brings out a simple syrup, but otherwise barely even stings. I feel as though I have used mouthwashes that burn more than this.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Short-medium. The finish is clean, with little heat and only slightly more of an aftertaste.
– Between Sips: The green grape in the fruit cup lingers the strongest between sips, but the pine/pinecone is here too as a great supporting character.
– No More: This continues to only get better the further I get into the glass. While I don’t think there are any particularly strong new flavors to take note of, it’s just one of those whiskeys I find that you can really settle into.
The empty Glencairn is a very soft, yet rye-filled oak. It’s homey, and it’s old, and it’s most certainly unique in a great way.
WORTH THE PRICE?
At $40, I think this is great, and I definitely recommend!
MICHTER’S SINGLE BARREL RYE REVIEW RATING: 91/100
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