Michter's US*1 Kentucky Straight Rye

Barrel # 19C397

Young palate so mostly taste the alcohol. Oak is there, sweetness that’s maybe toasted a bit, read somewhere it’s got hint of mint so not sure if I’m actually tasting that on the back end or if I’m imagining it because it’s supposed to be there. As it fades I get something like cardamom and a smidge of charred flavor. Maybe it’s the burnt part of the toasted sweetness.

This is a “not a bottle kill” review for Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Straight Rye which I am finally writing up at bottle kill. Woohoo - 3 bottles killed so far in 2020, this means I can open up something new, right? Mash Bill: Undisclosed (and sourcing unknown) Age: NAS ABV: 42.4% Barrel No.: 17L1580 (2017, yes? I guess I found a dusty bottle?) Price: $35.99 (this has now crept up to $40-$50 in my area) I know this is a Single Barrel release, but I get a fairly different profile compared to the Distiller chart. Nose: Mild and delicate, light and floral. Spearmint, star jasmine, honeysuckle, and vanilla. Sweet, light honey. Faint spice and some citrus like underripe orange. Palate: This really doesn’t exhibit “rich and full-bodied” to me. On the contrary, it’s light, thin, and a bit watery. Sweetly floral and mildly spicy, with malty, lightly buttered bread, hay, black licorice, and a bit of mint leaves. The light fruitiness on the nose doesn’t transfer much but you do get some tartness. Finish: Medium length and even, but still light (watery). Honeysuckle and honey sweetness, with black licorice fading out. Verdict: Light. Floral. Mildly fruity and spicy. Pikesville Straight Rye really takes this dram to task, and since a repeat buy would set me back $50+ (w/tax) this bottle will not be rotating back in for some time. I give it a point over Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon. A decent dram but poor VFM these days. 3.5 ~ 81 ~ Above Average

25K1938

That signature Michters smoothness with a light but favorable flavor profile enhanced by the bold rye