I had been struggling to find Michter’s Sour Mash in New Hampshire for quite sometime. I walked into a liquor store in Massachusetts and I was ecstatic to see they had quite a few cases.
Originally known as Shenk’s and later as Bomberger’s, the whiskey company which would became known as Michter’s was founded by John Shenk, a Swiss Mennonite farmer, in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania in 1753. In its earliest days, Shenk’s produced whiskey from rye grain, a favorite local crop in the Pennsylvania Blue Mountain Valley where the distillery was located.
According to historical lore when the Revolutionary War broke out, General George Washington visited the distillery and purchased whiskey to fortify his men as they hunkered down in their camp through the long, brutal winter at Valley Forge. Over 200 years later the Michter’s Pennsylvania management would say Michter’s was “the whiskey that warmed the American Revolution.”
In 1989, with the entire American whiskey industry suffering a prolonged downturn, Michter’s then-owners declared bankruptcy and abandoned the premises, leaving its Pennsylvania operations in disrepair and the Michter’s name was at risk of being lost to history.
In the 1990s, Joseph J. Magliocco and his consultant and mentor Richard “Dick” Newman teamed up to resurrect Michter’s. Magliocco, who entered the wine and spirits industry after attending Yale College and graduating from Harvard Law School, was intimately familiar with Michter’s through his college days of imbibing, bartending, and selling Michter’s.
Newman meanwhile, had followed up his service in the US Marine Corps (for which he earned a Purple Heart) with an illustrious career in the whiskey business, eventually running Old Grand-Dad, Old Crow, and Old Taylor for National Distillers before becoming President and CEO of Austin Nichols, the distiller of Wild Turkey.
Today, Michter’s has three locations in Kentucky – a 78,000 square foot distillery in the Shively section of Louisville, the architecturally significant Fort Nelson Building on Louisville’s Museum Row and 205 acres of farm land in Springfield.
According to the website, “During the 1970s and 1980s, Michter’s Original Sour Mash Whiskey was the distillery’s single most popular product. While the “Sour Mash” moniker originated from the whiskey production process of the same name – whereby some previously fermented mash is used as the starter for the new mash to be fermented, much like making sourdough bread – Michter’s Original Sour Mash earned distinction for its unique taste. With its unique grain selection, it cannot be categorized as a rye or a bourbon. After disappearing from the market in 1989, Michter’s Original Sour Mash Whiskey made a triumphant return in 2012 with its introduction into the US★1 line. Staying true to the profile and palate of its predecessor, Michter’s US★1 Sour Mash has quickly become a favorite of whiskey enthusiasts.”
Whiskey Review:Michter’s US★1 Sour Mash
ABV: 43% (86 Poof)
Age: Not Available
Mash Bill: Not Available
Distillery: Michter’s Distillery LLC
Location: Louisville, Kentucky (USA)
The Nose: A soft aroma rises from the glass but if you look you can find hints of vanilla, cinnamon and caramel. None of them really leap out of the glass, but they are there if you look for them.
The Taste: One would think based on the name the pour would be sour. It is anything but as the initial sip shows off caramel, butterscotch and toffee. Subsequent sips reveal additional notes of rhubarb, cherries and cinnamon coffee cake. The finish has a lingering rye component.
Conclusion: I usually don’t drink anything below 94 proof and generally keep it 100 proof or higher. So for me this comes off a little thin but it is so incredibly tasty. The lower proof makes it easy to drink and to have another pour or two. It’s one of the better libations I’ve had this year. The first sip was enough to send me back to the liquor store to buy 2 more bottles. It’s an excellent expression from the Michter’s Distillery.
Score: 95
Price: $39.99 (750ml Purchased in Ma.)
