Michter's 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye (2019 Release)

Tasting Barrel #19F963 Nose - dry oak, dark brown sugar, leather, and a faint evergreen note. Not especially rye-like, I could easily mistake this for a bourbon based on the nose. Palate - Caramel corn, dark chocolate, rye spice, some faint spearmint, vanilla and allspice. The finish fades more quickly than I'd like, with some oak and sweetness on the tail end. The first time I tasted this, it was a huge disappointment. We'd already had several other whiskeys prior, some of which were considerably higher in proof. In that context the M10 was just dull and thin, with the flavors being very muted. I've since revisited it a few times with a fresh palate and my opinion has improved. The flavors/aromas are there to make a compelling whiskey, I just wish it wasn't so subtle. This whiskey is at a 5-6 in intensity, where as I want it to be an 9 or 10. It just really suffers from the low proof, even more so than the M10 Bourbon. I also wish it had more rye character; even for a 'barely-legal' rye this one doesn't have as much of the green notes that you'd expect. I could easily mistake this for a high-rye bourbon rather than a straight rye. Bottom line, I should have tried this in a bar (if I'd ever seen it), so I could have had the experience without the price of a full bottle. If they ever release the 10yr at barrel strength, I'm sure it would be excellent; but this one is weak-sauce compared to competing ryes.

Aromas of pine, cinnamon and buttery corn compete for your attention. At times one or the other dominates, but mostly they dance together. Pow - The first mouthful brings a pinpoint delivery of zesty spices that stretch for minutes. Underneath this is a mix of orange and sweet cream. On the finish, those spices stay on the tongue for as long as you can resist another sip. There’s a hint of the creaminess too. I love rye but with so much of it coming from MGP or Alberta it can sometimes seem a narrow school. This is very different, with the creaminess almost suggesting a blend of rye and bourbon. Fortunately for this bourbon-skeptic it never strays too far into popcorn territory. As premium ryes go, this is one of the best in recent years.

@Richard-ModernDrinking and I had a tasting yesterday evening where we sampled over 10-11 whiskeys. Sample as in a sip...else I’d not even be able to type this coherently. This one, for me, came out on top. Best of the evening, outdoing it’s cousins from Scotland, and one from Switzerland. Despite it being sourced, I didn’t get the traditional MGP dill or the classic Canadian rye flavors. So if not MGP or Canada, not sure where they got this from, but either was simply superb. Amazing nose of warm rye bread, followed by a strong creamy, hints of bourbon, taste. Thanks @Richard-ModernDrinking for sharing !

By far the best Rye I’ve had to date! Was lucky enough to be able to get a bottle when I visited the distiller last fall. I had to choose between this and the bourbon 10 year because I didn’t have the funds to buy both. Went to the bar upstairs tried them both and went with this. My bottle is from barrel no 19F978. Finally cracked it open tonight and I am not disappointed in my decision in the slightest!

Big vanilla nose compared to the "regular" last bottle. Also much darker in color. This is a neck pour from a new bottle. The flavors are more smokey, less caramel than the last pour. This also finished hotter than the last. Gave it two drops of water. (Only intended for one... oops) I like it less with the water drops. It brings out the smokiness.

I had this at the Waldorf in Orlando and is one of the best bourbons I have tried. At $35 per glass I could not pass it up. Much less than the $135 per glass for BossHog. Very smooth and not in your face. Very crisp and no burn. Well worth the price!