Michter’s Toasted Barrel Finish Rye Whiskey Review (2026)

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

Michter’s Distillery has hit the trifecta with their rye whiskeys placed above their US*1 Rye (which isn’t to say that is not a worthy expression in its own right). Their Barrel Strength Rye is popular and a particular favorite of our Deputy Editor, Kurt Maitland. Michter’s 10 Year Old Rye is one of my personal favorites, and one of the very few whiskeys I think is actually worth the official price of $210 (although not the market price of $300). Then there is the Toasted Barrel Rye. I think the bourbon in the Michter’s Toasted Barrel family has more fans, being 1. a bourbon and 2. the original entry in the series. Despite that, the rye is something special and always worth the wait to get.

Michter’s did not originate the double new oak treatment (that was Brown-Forman with Woodford Reserve Double Oaked), but they were the first ones to elevate it by using a toasted, not charred barrel for the finishing, second part of the double new oaking. In this application, the result is one of my favorite digestif whiskeys. These are also cask strength expressions, and this year’s was bottled at 108.8 proof.

The Whiskey
I believe the last time I wrote Toasted Barrel Rye up myself was nine years ago, and the look is darker than it was then, despite the strength of the whiskey being a little lighter (108.8 vs 110 proof). The nose greeted me with a balanced mix of molasses, peach tea, pumpernickel and oak. The sips led with the oak, tannic pinch and rye spice aspects, with the sweeter side only coming up on the back end, but that was the part that persisted into the finish. The molasses in particular lingered for a spell.

The Price
This bottle will set you back $120, if offered at the official price.