Michter's US*1 Sour Mash Whiskey
Michter's · Michter's Distillery
Michter's sour mash process — using a portion of previously fermented grain to set the pH of the new mash — creates a whiskey of uncommon smoothness without sacrificing depth. This is a bottle that demonstrates how restraint in proof and patience in barrel selection can produce something quietly authoritative.
Nose
Butterscotch and caramel open the nose with immediate warmth, followed by a thread of dried cherry and toasted oak. A subtle floral note — almost carnation — lingers beneath the sweetness.
Palate
The entry is buttery and soft, but a backbone of charred oak and brown spices keeps it from tipping into cloying territory. Mid-palate delivers vanilla and a faint corn sweetness that grounds the profile.
Finish
Medium length with maple syrup fading into gentle leather and a whisper of tobacco. The balance holds all the way through.
- Mash Bill
- Proprietary (corn-dominant with rye and malted barley)
- Barrel Type
- New Charred American oak
- Bottled in Bond
- No
- Single Barrel
- No
- Wheated
- No
Cocktail Suggestion
Sour Mash Sour — 2 oz Michter's Sour Mash · 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice · 0.5 oz rich demerara syrup · 1 dash Angostura bitters · Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.
Food Pairing
Smoked pork belly with apple chutney
Crafted at Michter's Fort Nelson and Shively distilleries in Louisville, where master distiller Dan McKee oversees a sour mash regimen that dates its American roots to the 1750s Pennsylvania frontier.
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