Michter’s 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon Review (2020)

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

One of the peculiar things about the annual release of the Michter’s 10 Year Old Bourbon and 10 Year Old Rye is that they are both annual, limited releases and both are single barrels. It’s a formula designed to, potentially at any rate, present a fairly variable flavor profile. The only thing consistent about it from year to year has, in my experience at any rate, been that I’ve preferred the rye bottle I got over the bourbon bottle.

If you look above again and know how conservative a grader I am, you might guess that such was not the case this year. My bottle is from barrel 20D723, by the way, and I’m setting it out as my special bourbon on the shelf for Fall 2020.

The Bourbon
This pour has a light amber look in the glass, a coloring with just a little too much brown in it to remain copper. The nose has a humid character carrying a spicy, woody mist hovering above a fresh serving of creme brulee.

The liquid is silky, but dry. Woody spices sit atop a platform of candy bar goodness, an extra earthy combination of cocoa, caramel, maple syrup and nougat. The finish ran long, dry and spicy, ending with a dash of barrel char.

This particular barrel of Michter’s 10 Year Old came out as a light touch, but a sophisticated one… sophisticated without being overtly complex, either. If I were to describe it as a person, I’d name Katherine Hepburn.

The Price
The recommended price point is $130 per bottle.