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

By Randall H. Borkus

Rating: A

July 2020, Louisville-based Michter’s Distillery began shipping the 2020 release of its 10 Year Single Barrel Rye. “This will be the only release of our 10 Year Rye this year because we continue to be in a position where we need to allocate our whiskeys,” commented Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco. “I am very grateful to our team for the terrific job they have been doing.” While Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery has been shut since mid-March 2020 due to the pandemic, Michter’s Shively Distillery has continued to distill and bottle.

“I just love Kentucky style rye because it has not only great spice, but also the richness and the balance that comes from having a fair amount of corn and malted barley in the mashbill.  And I think the 2020 release of our 10 Year Rye is an outstanding example of Kentucky style rye,” said Michter’s Master Distiller Dan McKee.

“There is nothing quite like really good rye distillate that’s been aged with thoughtful care for over a decade in a barrel that was toasted and then charred and in a warehouse that has been heat cycled to produce a deep, rich flavor profile perfect for sipping,” commented Michter’s Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson.

As a brand, Michter’s sets their founding year as 1753 in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, by their initiator, John Shenk, a Swiss Mennonite farmer.  It’s rumored that General George Washington stopped at the farm and purchased sufficient barrels of whiskey to help his troops survive the long, notorious winter spent at Valley Forge.  A commercial distillery was later built on these legendary foundations, but Prohibition placed that distillery on a very shaky foundation, and later bankruptcy left the facilities abandoned before the end of the 20th Century.  However, the brand name was still worth something.

The current ownership secured the Michter’s name in the 1990s, picking it up with a sincere commitment to “honor the Michter’s legacy by producing the best whiskey possible, cost be damned.”  It was a tall order, but if you have ever imbibed any of the Michter products, you know that order was fulfilled.

Beyond its main distillery in the Shively section of Louisville, Michter’s operations extend to two other Kentucky sites.  In Springfield, Michter’s is farming estate grown grain on its 145-acre property, while in downtown Louisville, Michter’s has its second distillery in the historic Fort Nelson building.  Fort Nelson  is situated in a prime location on West Main Street opposite Louisville Slugger and on the same block as the Frazier Museum.  Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery features the legendary pot still system from Michter’s original Pennsylvania Distillery.  Fort Nelson Distillery has educational tours with whiskey tastings as well as The Bar at Fort Nelson, which features classic cocktails curated by spirits and cocktail historian David Wondrich.  If you haven’t been there it’s a must visit when downtown Louisville.

Today I’m enjoying the new 2020 Michter’s 10-year rye whiskey, barrel # 20E985, 46.4 ABV 92.8 Proof.

The Whiskey
The Diva bottle has become the trademark for this premium rye whiskey.  It’s beautiful, sleek and sexy as far as whiskey bottles go.  The color in both the bottle and glass is a dark reddish brown with copper highlights in my glass.  The legs are thick and persistent as they cuddle the inside of my glass giving the impression of syrup running down the inside of my glass.  The nose is sweat, oaky and inviting with hints of a cherry candy.

The mouthfeel is perfection as it’s elegant, and creamy smooth with minimal heat on the front palate.  The mid-palate is a flavor bomb with honied-oak, and a toasted barrel like sweetness layered in a candied pear desert creating a nicely balanced flavor profile moving slowly into the finish.  The finish is sweet, oaky with a hint of nutmeg dryness.  This is a luxurious rye whiskey and it demands to be consumed neat.

It is just so damn good it leaves me wanting another deep pour.  It also drinks much older than 10 year rye whiskey in my opinion and the flavor elements from the toasting of the barrel before the charring are very evident.

The Price
The suggested U.S. retail price per 750ml bottle of Michter’s 10 Year Rye is $160, and many stores are bumping up the prices beyond $200 a bottle.