Michter's US*1 Kentucky Straight Rye

Barrel #19E764 Having not only had Michter's rye before, but also remembering them as a staple for rye whiskey, I was sorely shocked to find out that it's only a measly 84 proof, and also filtered somewhat secretly. I really want to be unbiased while tasting, but tactics that prolong the barrel like that come off very money focused... Hopefully Michter's isn't turning into the Buffalo Trace of rye whiskey. With a weak proof and no age statement, I'm super surprised at what a deep color this is. I'd guess #4 char barrels are in use, given the color and the scent of heavy, wet, charred oak. This develops further into vanilla and caramel, which is very standard, but it pairs nicely with the earthy, spicy scent that's also present. Rye is the obvious spice, but I also get black pepper and clove, and the earthiness smell is like wet dirt, similar to milder peated scotches. Wet earth comes back for the initial flavor, and gives way to cinnamon and rye spice. The body, as expected, is very weak, but to it's credit, does allow for more fine tuned flavor gathering. The issue is that these flavors aren't super hot spices, mint, grass, or other strong iconic notes that a good rye whiskey should be. The finish is a mixture of the above, with emphasis on mushroom, mold, and cinnamon candy. I'm usually not so specific with my tastings, but since this is such an unusual bottle/barrel/whiskey, it's easy to pick out these new flavors. There's really so much about this brand that is a turn off, mostly with the lack of given information for the products. Not sure why distilleries want to hide their methods, but it appears it doesn't matter, because Michter's has such a cult following that even this simple, unamusing rye is known to be "rare" and hard to find, with jacked up prices reflecting this. Maybe it's a bad barrel, but there's no hiding shady business. I feel the plan is to hook people on the overpriced flagship products so the 25 year or actual rare whiskeys can be sold for hundreds of dollars and nobody would bat an eye. Buying/collecting whiskey is already so much of a headache, so I'd rather avoid anything that clearly is contributing to that.

Definite mint on the nose. Spicy and solid rye. Clean finish.