Michter's 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2021 Release)

I recieved this as a very generous gift and excited to sit down with it. It's a delicious-looking amber colour. Barrel #2101159. Nose: Brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, allspice. Certainly the nose is a wonderful balance of sugar and spice. There is some orange marmalade and maybe some dill in the background as well. Palate: This is even spicier than the nose suggests. There is very little sweetness although the sweetness there is reminiscent of burnt caramel. I also get some bitter high-cocoa dark chocolate. There's lots of black pepper and cinnamon. I'm not sure the rye content but the rye spice really seems to be coming through unless this is simply oak-char disguised as rye-spice. Finish: Long, spicy, and oaky. The tannins stick around for some time on the sides of the tongue. There's very little sweetness on the finish but I can chew the leathery taste for some time. Overall this is packed with flavour. I find it's not as sweet as a typical bourbon, likely due to the age, and this is not necessarily a bad thing. I would definitely recommend this.

Nose: caramel, cherry, water chestnut, whiffs of vanilla in the background. But it’s all tame bother in your face about it. Later a little rye and later wet oak. Body: medium Palate: caramel, chocolate, then the waves of barrel char and smoke that I love love love. Later I get the vanilla and cola flavors. Finish: medium to long. Much more smokey and caramel than the initial palate and nose would suggest. It’s like there is the initial wave of sweetness and then the slow to evolve finish. So good. Note: expectations are high for this. This was another great pick up from 1010 Washington the greatest liquor store on earth. This might be the best ten year old whiskey. The finish is much longer than I’d expect from the nose. Smokey and lingering for a minute or so. Tremendous. This punches way above its abv of 47.2. This is better than the first iteration I tried which I can’t remember what year it was but this is tremendous.

Doing a little bourbon tasting on Super Bowl Sunday and this one is on the list. Tried it a few years ago and remember liking it so I am anxious to try this release before the party truly begins. The nose is powerful and I like that, heavy on sweet caramel and apples. There is a nuttiness' to it, I go back and forth between hazel and pecan. Almost no alcohol. This is decadent. The palate follows the nose but the apple drops out and the sweetness intensifies. Great mouthfeel and some bitter oak develops as you chew it. This one finishes sweet with long lasting caramel corn.

Aroma - honey, pepper, apple, cherries, cloves, spices of cinnamon and even dash of nutmeg. Really nice aroma. Taste - Man.. this is ridiculously smooth. Mouthfeel is quite thin. But taste solid.. really nice oak profile. Little touch of smoke on the finish with a hint of red hot/cinnamon.. Definitely getting an earthy/ nutty note mid palate. Overall - like most Michter offerings, this one does not justify the price point. Aroma is fantastic, taste solid, mouthfeel and finish is lacking. Drinks closer to $70-80 bottle in my honest opinion

Tasting side by side with the barrel strength rye and regular Michter’s makes me appreciate this so much more than the neck pour I had. I like how it’s body and flavor holds up to the high proof of the barrel strength and is worlds away from the harshness of regular. Sweeter and smoother than that rye. Excellent. Wouldn’t pay $149 again though….

On the nose you're immediately hit by a swirl of aromas; sweetness, cinnamon, and apples being the most prominent. First sip goes down really smooth, it's very rich drinking like an older bourbon. You get a warming sweetness with a building, long peppery finish with the char. This is a really solid pour.