Michter’s 20 Year Old Bourbon Review (2022)

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A

Once one gets past their regular release line-up and into its limited expressions, Michter’s Distillery is not in the habit of doing annual batches. As I will discuss in detail in two weeks with a feature rounding-up the best of Michter’s Barrel Proof Rye, these things could come out the next year or after an interval of one, two or even three years. So, I reviewed the 2015 edition of Michter’s 20 Year Old, and subsequent releases came out in 2016, 2019, 2021, and now the edition I will now address: 2022.

According to Michter’s, they closely monitor their older barrels at the 17 year mark, and refer to that as the “fork in the road” point. Certain barrels can achieve “extraordinary” quality after that point. Promising barrels continue maturing, and some are dumped for use in the 20 year old. This expression was a single barrel back in 2015, but that language was replaced with “limited release” on the label for the 2019 edition and has stayed that way ever since. The company describes it as a small batch release now.

The Bourbon
The pour into my copita glass takes on a rich, dark amber coloring, which reflects both the age and the 57.1% ABV bottling strength. This has never been a cask strength expression, despite the high strength, and the proof of 114.2 has been set and stable since the single barrel days.

The nose is rich with cherries and dried figs, treacle and vanilla, and spiced with cinnamon and clove. The spicy aspect comes forward on the palate, with the cinnamon and clove broadening to include pepper and a sliver of cedar wood, coming into full balance with the sweet side of the bourbon. Behind this, a leathery, earthy note of cocoa had developed, one that grows on the back end. The finish sees that leathery cocoa and the spicy aspect rise up and swamp the aftertaste like a sudden, crashing wave, one that recedes rapidly to leave behind a sweet vanilla note on the tongue that then fades to the slightest brushing with spiciness. It’s a wonderfully sophisticated conclusion that just gives and gives, sip after sip. As rich and wonderful as the rest of this bourbon’s experience is, that finish marks it out as something special.

The Price
Officially, this bottle is priced at $1,200. The market value of Michter’s 20 Year Old is far, far higher, with online retailers asking between $5,000 and $7,000 a bottle.