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.

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 for 36 months, toasting the barrels before charring them, using a low barrel-entry strength, heat cycling to encourage ageing during the frigid winters and using specific filtration types for each whiskey they make. The Sour Mash is their original recipe whiskey.

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.

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.

Note: ABV will vary from batch to batch. An American Whiskey gem and a five star bargain. Highest recommendation. 2020 batch tasted... [15ml sample] A bouquet you can really get lost in... Opens like fresh rye sour dough, turns vaguely herbal (caraway / dill) and follows in a mesmerising combination of apple mint, balsa wood and heavy vanillas. Mouthcoating, oily rye on entry. Astringent and classically spiced-up at mid palate. Mints and cherry chocolate through the finish. Seamless and sophisticated. Stays with you. Fabulous rye. 54.5% Alc./Vol. Previous batch tasted: [30ml sample] Brilliant bronze / new copper penny colour. Initial pass finds aromas of cherry ripe chocolate bar, poached peaches and vanilla. Further air contact accents white pepper, applemint and oak shavings. The lusciously toasty, perfectly-rounded delivery has impeccable wood selection written all over it: Bittersweet spices challenge the sheer weight of the rye but the grain wins out in a rush of oils, dried peach, dark rye and peppermint. Remarkably accessible at natural strength, the aftertaste turns peppery, oaky, then intensely grainy and long. Some found this a 'fruitier' / more Bourbensque style compared with the 55.8% ABV bottling. Wins on length as the flavour rebounds over minutes. Highest recommendation. 54.5% Alc.Vol. 95 points

"the nose and delivery are just about as good as it gets." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2019 Sazerac Rye dates back to the 1800’s and symbolizes the tradition and history of New Orleans saloons. It was at the Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street where local patrons were served toddies made with Rye whiskey and Peychaud’s Bitters. The libation became know as the “Sazerac” and America’s first branded cocktail was born. This 6 year-old version of the famous Sazerac Rye is produced at the scenic Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort (probably using a 'barely legal' rye recipe), home of numerous other whiskies such as Eagle Rare 10 year-old, Eagle Rare 17 year-old, Blanton's, Rock Hill Farms and George T. Stagg. The beautifully designed bottle harks back to the pre Civil War days when barrels of whisky were poured into ornately engraved decanters supplied by the distiller, displaying the colour of the whiskey to good effect. In what seems to be a company tradition, the price is nowhere near the kind of money many other ryes command. Our re-tasting since last visiting this stalwart in 2008 found moderate aromas suggesting caraway and oak shavings then green apple, orange zest, wood spice and sweet nutty/vanilla notes. This is a soft, plush 'fruity' style without compromising depth of flavour - dried apricots, apply rye and white pepper come counterpointed by light vanilla oak. The keynote grain isn't aggressive like some others, while the balance is near perfect, and there's dark rye bread, more pepper and a subtle muddled mint refreshing the fade. In short - Sazerac is a broad appeal whiskey with enough mid-palate sweetness, complexity and kick to convert one-eyed Bourbon nuts - or even the odd malt enthusiast. Keep this as the 'proper' choice for a Manhattan or Sazerac Cocktail. 45% Alc./Vol.

A new Woodford that’s set to be part of the core range. This is finished in heavily toasted, lightly charred barrels.

For over 200 years, Buffalo Trace Distillery has been defined by a dedication to one craft: making fine American whiskey. By honouring tradition and embracing change, it has earned its place of leadership among the legendary spirits producers of the world and is now recognised as the World’s Most Awarded Distillery. The venture produces a wide range of whiskeys using three different mash bills: one light rye, one heavy rye and a third flavoured with wheat. They've developed different products by aging those three mash bills to meet various grades and price points. At Buffalo Trace, that translates into at least fifteen labels: W. L. Weller, Eagle Rare, George T.Stagg and Old Rip Van Winkle (amongst others), and that's not counting many reserve and limited-release variants. While the mash bills contribute to the flavour, the more significant differentiation among brands takes place in century-old warehouses. Constructed of massive wood beams and covered by a brick shell, these structures allow the alternating cooling and warming of Kentucky's four distinct seasons to mature the bourbon by nature's timetable. Steam pumped throughout the warehouses during the extreme cold of winter compensates for the dramatic drops in temperature and gives the whiskey additional cycles in and out of the wood. This is said to make for a more balanced bourbon as the liquid is able to take additional advantage of the natural sugars occurring in the charred barrels. The distillery was the first to use this method of aging in 1859 and has been doing so ever since. The warehouses were built in the 1900s and represent diverse architectural styles. Consequently, their designs and location on the property contribute to the significant differences in the whiskey coming from each. Certain floors within a given warehouse produce better whiskey than others do. For example, the fourth and fifth floors of Warehouse C and the fourth through sixth floors of Warehouses I and K produce the company's best. It's these locations which have been reserved for the maturation of Buffalo Trace. The brand itself was born only relatively recently. In 1999, visitors to the newly named and renovated distillery asked, “Why isn’t there a bourbon called ‘Buffalo Trace?" In response, Elmer T. Lee ventured into the best floors in the best warehouses to find some of the finest barrels that really matched up with his views on what a full-bodied, robust Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey should taste like. The result was what consumers enjoy today , batched from no more than 40 barrels at a time. There are two ABV variants on offer - one at 45% and this lower proof 40% bottling. The flavour profiles are pretty much identical, but as you would expect, less alcohol means a little less concentration. That said, the difference isn't huge, and what you miss out on is made up for in dollar savings. The style moves away from macho Bourbon, aligning with the feminine elegance of whiskeys like Evan Williams Single Barrel. As an affordable, middle-tier offering, it's also deceptively complex. The rye is evident but balanced by softer, sweeter notes like vanilla wafers, toasted sponge cake, cherry chocolate and just plain old, high-quality American oak. This expression doesn't boast super length, but it is incredibly easy to drink. Our preference is uncut (too much water makes it a little 'peachy' and the more nuanced notes are lost). An ice cube and a comfortable chair by the barbeque is all you need to complete the picture.

Michter's, a renowned American whiskey company, has a rich history dating back to 1753 when Swiss Mennonite farmer John Shenk founded the distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania. Shenk's whiskey was made from rye grain, which was a favourite local crop in the Pennsylvania Blue Mountain Valley where the distillery was located. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington purchased whiskey from Shenk's to fortify his men as they hunkered down in their camp through the long, brutal winter at Valley Forge. The Michter's Pennsylvania management would later say that Michter's was "the whiskey that warmed the American Revolution." In the mid-1800s, Pennsylvania Dutchman Abraham Bomberger purchased the distillery and it became known as Bomberger's. However, the passage of Prohibition in 1919 forced the distillery, along with other American spirits producers, to shut its doors to the public. Although the distillery did reopen after the repeal of Prohibition, it changed hands many times over the next few decades and frequently occupied a precarious financial position. 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 seemingly lost to history. However, in the 1990s, Joseph J. Magliocco and his consultant and mentor Richard "Dick" Newman teamed up to resurrect Michter's. Magliocco and Newman made their first major strategic decision to resurrect Michter's in Kentucky, in the heart of the modern American whiskey industry, to ensure access to the best whiskey talent and resources available. Today, Michter's has three locations in Kentucky, including 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. Michter's is renowned for producing the best whiskey possible and they continue to honour the Michter's legacy by offering the greatest American whiskey. Michter's has come a long way since its early years in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania and its resurgence in Kentucky is a testament to the brand's commitment to quality and attention to detail. Shenk's Homestead Distillery Sour Mash Whiskey honours the legacy of historic American whiskey figure John Shenk, who in 1753 founded a distillery that was to become known as Michter's in the 20th Century. It is made in Kentucky according to the traditional Sour Mash process whereby a portion of the previously distilled whiskey mash (referred to as "setback") is added into the next batch. This full-bodied small batch whiskey is 91.2 proof. This great heritage is honoured with the release of Bomberger’s Declaration and Shenk’s Homestead which comprise the Michter’s Legacy Series. Toasting and celebrating American Whiskey History with this outstanding small batch 108 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Shenk's is a Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey made with a substantial amount of rye. The unique character of this 2023 offering results from its being produced with malted rye in the recipe. Additionally, for its maturation we utilized two different and quite special barrel profiles: a portion of it was aged in 18-month naturally air-dried and seasoned wood with our signature toast and char profile and a portion of it was aged in special toasted French oak barrels that were made from 24-month air-dried wood sourced from the Vosges region of France. This is a warm and rich expression with highlights of spiced fruit, nougat, honey and spiced chocolate. It is dark amber in appearance with a nose of toffee with spice and vanilla. The palate is smooth and savoury, a whiskey to savour complimented by highlights of smooth spice, dried fruit, and honey.

Product Information: Giving you first dibs to the highly collectable Willett Family Estate range. This 7-Year-Old Small Batch Rye brings together two distinct mash bills, uniting complexity and depth in a single expression. Non-chill filtered and bottled at cask strength from Barrel #9379, this exceptional rye is presented at 51.2% ABV. On the nose, savoury notes of tobacco blend with chocolate and clove, while the palate introduces a lively spiciness interlaced with orange and fruit undertones. The texture is captivating and richly layered. This Willett Family Estate release has been matured for seven years in hand-selected white oak barrels, crafted from a mash bill of 74% rye, 11% corn, and 15% malted barley—an iconic rye profile at its finest. Maker: Founded in 1936 by Thompson Willett, Willett Distillery remains a family-operated legacy in the heart of Kentucky. Built near the family farm purchased by Thompson's father, Lambert Willett, the distillery began production in 1937 with its first batch of Kentucky bourbon on St. Patrick’s Day. The Willett family’s rickhouses, strategically built on the high grounds of the county, ensured that each barrel aged with a fresh breeze aiding maturation. Over 80 years later, the Willett family continues its commitment to crafting exceptional bourbon and rye whiskey on the very grounds where the tradition began. The Philosophy: The Willett Distillery story goes back generations, each inspired by a profound respect for fine whiskey craftsmanship. Thompson Willett, guided by his father and grandfather, understood the essence of great whiskey: sourcing the finest ingredients, focusing on every detail, and allowing each batch the time it needs to reach its peak. This approach, prioritising patience and quality, continues to define Willett’s legacy today, producing whiskey with unparalleled character and distinction. Nose Rye Spice, Cherry, Vanilla Notes of savoury tobacco and a gentle sweetness with hints of honey-glazed fruit, cherry, and vanilla. Palate Seville Orange, Caramel, Vanilla Bourbon-like with floral tones, dried fruits, rich caramel, and vanilla. Traditional rye spices linger on the back palate, rounded out with a dash of pepper. Finish Orange Peel, Dried Fruits, Pepper A classic rye finish with a satisfying blend of sweetness and spice. The texture is utterly mesmerising. Bottle Information Barrel Number - #9379