On a short list the most desirable, super premium American whiskeys, Pappy Van Winkle is usually near the top – if you can find it. But there’s another name in town: “Michter’s”, with roots going back to the 18th century. For scarcity, reputation and market value, Michter’s is now outdoing Van Winkle on every score. The ultra-aged releases are periodic and therefore actually far rarer than Pappy’s which are annual. Many consider older Michter's superior to the equivalent Van Winkles, especially if you prefer your whiskey to not be overly oaky. To top it off, a Michter’s 25 Year Old Rye has reached $8000 / bottle. Or there’s a 25 Year old for US $10,000 at Wally’s Liquor in the States. Take your pick. That’s the direction this brand is headed. The modern Michter’s was created in the 1950s (then owner, Lou Forman combined his son’s names – Michael & Peter). Later in 1989, the company declared bankruptcy, abandoning the original Pennsylvania operation. In the 1990s, two entrepreneurs filed for the Michter’s trademark and relocated the brand in Louisville, Kentucky. The “New” Michter’s whiskeys come with a swag of 5 Star / Highest Recommendations from respected critics that’s confirmed by a strong following amongst bartenders (now number two in top-trending American whiskey brands globally). There are four tiers in the range - which is a little confusing at first. The "US*1" expressions are the entry level, so named to honour Michter’s heritage, harkening back to America’s first whiskey company in 1753. Then come the limited releases (toasted barrel finishes and cask strength), then the age statements, and finally, there's a selection of ultra-aged 25 year old+ super limited bottlings. Master Distiller, Pam Heilmann, has extensive experience including time as manager at Booker Noe Distillery in Boston and 15 years with Beam Global. She’s helped out by Andrea Wilson, whose role is Master of Maturation. These ladies are very specific about the seasoning and toasting regimes of the wood they employ. They toast barrels before charring, which helps to make the wood’s sugars more accessible. They insist on barreling at a lower proof (103 instead of the standard 125), a practise which is claimed to get the sugars in oak to dissolve more readily into the distillate as it cycles in and out of the wood. Chill filtration is undertaken but customised to each whiskey's style. All Michter’s whiskeys are either ‘single barrel’ or ‘small batch’. Because “Small batch” is not a legally defined term in US whiskey regulation, many respected “small batch” brands are actually composed from hundreds or thousands of barrels, which helps to ‘lose’ sub-quality barrels in the blend. At Michter’s, the maximum “small batch” size is twenty full barrels. It explains why Heilmann and Wilson are more than a little fanatical about quality control, and you can sense it in the taste. Tasting note: [Lot L146456 tasted] Brassy gold. Opening aroma is peppery and true to style with lovely whiffs of dark rye bread; Further air contact draws out wax, dried apple, cinnamon and vanilla. Third pass finds suggestions of herbal tea - think peppermint and chamomile. Great complexity. A somewhat hollow entry leads into a powerful, peppery rye attack with ryvita biscuit, dried apple and peppermint tea flavours carried by vibrant spices. Hints of vanilla and toffee apple in the drying fade. Solid, text-book styled rye. 42.4% Alc./Vol.

In 1869, The Ripy family built the foundations of what is known today as the Wild Turkey Bourbon distillery. Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon is still produced using the same traditional technique, handcrafted by Master Distiller Eddie Russell alongside his father Jimmy Russell. Combined, the pair have over 97 years of experience and are the only active father and son Master Distiller team in the world. Rare Breed is abarrel-proof bourbon meaning it is bottled directly from a variety of barrels at the proof it reaches in those barrels with no added water to lower the proof or dilute the flavour. This bourbon is a unique marriage of Wild Turkey 6 to and 12-year-olod stocks, which give the whiskey a rich exceptional flavour that is remarkably smooth considering its high alcohol content.

Maker's Mark is a unique and full-flavoured, hand-made Bourbon Whiskey, made using the old-style sour-mash method and sealed with the iconic red wax.

Uniquely finished to deliver a more elevated experience, Maker’s 46 is aged longer with special seared French oak staves. With subtly layered bourbon notes and balanced complexity, 46 is the legacy of Bill Samuels, Jr., son of Maker’s Mark founders Bill and Margie. Released in 2010, Maker’s 46 was the first new major expression to be created at Star Hill Farm since classic Maker’s went into production in 1953. The first new bourbon since opening their doors had to make a statement. And Maker’s 46 did, as the first offering from the distilleries breakthrough wood-finishing series. Today, they continue to experiment with the effects of wood finishing to craft new expressions of Maker’s Mark, always remaining true to the original Maker’s – and the expertise, passion and persistence of Bill and Margie.

The art of making fine bourbon first took place on the site of the Woodford Reserve Distillery, a National Historic Landmark, in 1812. The perfectly balanced taste of our Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is comprised of more than 200 detectable flavour notes, from bold grain and wood, to sweet aromatics, spice, and fruit & floral notes.

Michters is Americas first distilling company, dating back to 1753 when they started out making rye whiskey. They take a Cost Be Damned approach to the production of every barrel, using various methods including air drying their barrels for 36 months, toasting the barrels before charring them, using a low barrel-entry strength, heat cycling to encourage ageing during the winter. This Rye is a brilliant whiskey with fresh spice notes and a lingering soft finish.

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel is finely crafted from a single barrel which has been individually hand-selected by Master Tasters for its unique taste and smooth, aromatic character.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is a Barrel Proof Bourbon, meaning no water is added to reduce the level of alcohol during the bottling process. This method captures its rich pure Bourbon flavour. Medium to full-bodied with a nose of spring flowers balanced by a touch of black pepper and almonds.

"One soaring, beautiful eagle." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible We first tasted Eagle Rare in 2006 when it was labelled 'Single Barrel'. As of 2019, that changed to a multi-barrel blend with a ten year old age statement. It remains a standout value - an American whiskey with the unusual credentials of maintaining a reputation for exceptional quality while being relatively easy to come by. The profile confirms a #1 Mashbill from Buffalo Trace, which is reported to be low rye (10% or less), yielding notes of caramel, new charred oak, liquorice bullets, cocoa and peppermint rock lollies plus cinnamon in support. The complexity grows with time. Re-tasted from a 20ml sample, it's lean on entry, but fills out beautifully into a medium-bodied, chewy whiskey with muted rye spices before vanilla and Bounty Bar flood the finish, the sugars checked by balancing oak and more creamy vanillas. Ever reliable and better than many Bourbons at twice its price, Eagle Rare remains hard to beat. 45% Alc./Vol.

The Michter's "US 1" bottlings are so named to honour Michter’s heritage. The brand was established in 1753 as America’s first whiskey company. Washington and his troops drank Michter’s while they were hunkered down in Valley Forge.